troublemaker

noun

trou·​ble·​mak·​er ˈtrə-bəl-ˌmā-kər How to pronounce troublemaker (audio)
: a person who consciously or unconsciously causes trouble
troublemaking adjective or noun

Examples of troublemaker in a Sentence

He had the reputation of being a troublemaker in high school.
Recent Examples on the Web However, these measures are not enough to stop all of the potential troublemakers. Kurt Knutsson, Fox News, 3 Nov. 2023 Options are necessary as many individuals fear being labeled troublemakers, unable to roll with the punches or solve their own problems, Kapor Klein believes. Anna Oakes, Quartz, 5 May 2023 Other frequent troublemakers like ants and flies come in through cracks around doors and windows. Lori Keong, Washington Post, 24 Aug. 2023 In the hands of Chinese police officers, biometric data is a powerful tool for identifying people regarded as potential troublemakers. Cate Brown, Washington Post, 21 Sep. 2023 Rip current risk enhanced by tropical troublemakers A handful of tropical systems hundreds of miles away are churning up the Atlantic Ocean and may lead to danger for people headed to the beach. Mary Gilbert, CNN, 1 Sep. 2023 Just consider this fascinating new nugget from TIME’s Molly Ball about how the far-right Freedom Caucus is dealing with its own troublemaker, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene: members had a meeting about her after some pretty outlandish conduct, but Greene herself isn’t sure if she got expelled or not. Philip Elliott, Time, 19 July 2023 Both plots feel more rooted in abstract stereotypes — the greedy (and, uncomfortably, Jewish) landowner, the hothead troublemaker — than specific relationships. Alison Herman, Variety, 7 July 2023 But the evacuation of white-collar workers made way for an influx of homeless people and drug users — and more than a few troublemakers striding in the front door. Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'troublemaker.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1914, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of troublemaker was circa 1914

Dictionary Entries Near troublemaker

Cite this Entry

“Troublemaker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/troublemaker. Accessed 29 Nov. 2023.

Kids Definition

troublemaker

noun
trou·​ble·​mak·​er ˈtrəb-əl-ˌmā-kər How to pronounce troublemaker (audio)
: a person who causes problems or disagreements
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!