troublemaker

noun

trou·​ble·​mak·​er ˈtrə-bəl-ˌmā-kər 

: a person who consciously or unconsciously causes trouble

troublemaking

ˈtrə-bəl-ˌmā-kiŋ 

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

Listen to this article A trio of troublemakers sped through Williamsburg, Brooklyn, in a white car shooting pellet guns and gel guns at people dressed in traditional Hasidic Jewish garb, hitting at least seven persons over a two-day possible hate crime spree, a police source said. —Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 19 Apr. 2025

My older brother was a troublemaker, so there’s no hope for me. —Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 18 Apr. 2025

With a goal to graduate high school and become a mechanic, Kim began attending a continuation school for troublemakers and kids at risk of dropping out. —Will Yakowicz, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025

If parents can’t keep their troublemakers in check, no one can. —Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 16 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1914, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for troublemaker

• automaker
• boilermaker
• cabinetmaker
• coffeemaker
• undertaker
• blackacre
• caretaker
• clockmaker
• dressmaker
• filmmaker
• homemaker
• icebreaker

Kids Definition

troublemaker

noun

trou·​ble·​mak·​er ˈtrəb-əl-ˌmā-kər 

: a person who causes problems or disagreements