as in bohemian
a person who does not conform to generally accepted standards or customs
an author who reveled in his role as the enfant terrible of American letters
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Recent Examples of enfant terrible
From the get-go, many recognized Ms. Sagan as a genuine talent, with critics likening her to the fellow literary enfant terrible Colette.
—
Sadie Stein, New York Times, 14 May 2025
Artist, filmmaker, and former enfant terrible Harmony Korine is closing in on the New York premiere of his latest film, Baby Invasion.
—Harrison Jacobs, ARTnews.com, 17 Mar. 2025
Well, my editor, Judith Regan, was the enfant terrible of publishing in the ‘90s.
—Mathew Rodriguez, Them, 9 Dec. 2024
The political enfants terribles of the Left, Right, and center are stuck with one another until July 2025 — the soonest that another snap election can be called.
—Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 5 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for enfant terrible
Sadie Stein, New York Times, 14 May 2025
Artist, filmmaker, and former enfant terrible Harmony Korine is closing in on the New York premiere of his latest film, Baby Invasion.
—Harrison Jacobs, ARTnews.com, 17 Mar. 2025
Well, my editor, Judith Regan, was the enfant terrible of publishing in the ‘90s.
—Mathew Rodriguez, Them, 9 Dec. 2024
The political enfants terribles of the Left, Right, and center are stuck with one another until July 2025 — the soonest that another snap election can be called.
—Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 5 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for enfant terrible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enfant terrible
Noun
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The Ford Maverick is a maverick in more ways than one, debuting as one of the few standard hybrid trucks on the market.—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
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The end result of their work is a rallying cry for filmmakers pushing against calcified thinking and conventional wisdom — and unsurprisingly, Pellington says that working on the documentary put him back in touch with the fearless twentysomething maverick inside of him.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
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As Kissinger understood, even lone rangers need friends.—
MARGARET MACMILLAN,
Foreign Affairs,
21 July 2025
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And while his rivals have landed serious blows against him, he’s embraced the tabloid-style frenzy at each of those junctures, incorporating them into his narrative identity as an underappreciated lone ranger constantly battling the world.—
TIME,
TIME,
7 May 2024
Noun
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As one of the world's most dangerous assassins, the mysterious lone wolf is torn between providing for his increasingly at-risk family and keeping one step ahead of global intelligence agencies.—
Griff Griffin,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Oct. 2025
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Sigma: This term refers to an independent or self-reliant person who operates outside traditional social hierarchies, like a lone wolf.—
Anna Kleiber,
jsonline.com,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Below, Bruni Tedeschi and Marcello speak to Variety about why Duse’s free spirit and non-conventional feminism, coupled with her talent, are so relevant today.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
11 Sep. 2025
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For decades, Ibiza has been drawing free spirits, New Age wellness seekers, and party people who keep its clubs pulsing until dawn.—
Siobhan Reid,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Enfant terrible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enfant%20terrible. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.
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