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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Mindy Kaling once called me a Loki, like a bit of a troublemaker. Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2025 Photograph courtesy Peter Matthiessen estate The second of three children, Matthiessen was the resident troublemaker. Maggie Doherty, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025 Seth Evans, another passenger on the flight, told the Minnesota Star Tribune that the troublemaker was shouting that gay people were giving him cancer, cooking and radiating him. Zach Wichter, USA Today, 7 Oct. 2025 Sometimes there’s a kid who is labeled a ‘troublemaker’ who just needs to be heard. Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for troublemaker

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1914, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of troublemaker was circa 1914

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Troublemaker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/troublemaker. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

troublemaker

noun
trou·​ble·​mak·​er ˈtrəb-əl-ˌmā-kər How to pronounce troublemaker (audio)
: a person who causes problems or disagreements

More from Merriam-Webster on troublemaker

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