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enfant terrible

noun

ˌän-ˌfänt-te-ˈrē-blə How to pronounce enfant terrible (audio)
Definition of enfant terriblenext
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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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of enfant terrible Here is a director who gets off on being an enfant terrible even at 55 years old. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 19 May 2026 For years, he was known as an enfant terrible; now he’s matured. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 16 May 2026 The epitome of an enfant terrible, Rimbaud was a rebellious adolescent with a tempestuous personal life (ask fellow poet Paul Verlaine). — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 May 2026 The relationship between the face of French basketball for the past decade and the NBA’s new enfant terrible is rooted in a deeper journey. — Jared Weiss, New York Times, 4 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for enfant terrible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enfant terrible
  1. maverick
  2. lone ranger
  3. lone wolf
  4. free spirit
Noun
  • Bill Kerby, the maverick screenwriter who wrote the first draft of the Bette Midler-starring rock drama The Rose and worked on The Last American Hero, The Gravy Train and Hooper as well, has died.
    — Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Home of the subversive and the sublime, the maverick and the madman, the inspired and the inspiring, the sage and the clown, and, most important, the brave.
    — Tom Selleck, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of maverick
Noun
  • The desperate situation usually has an alternative, if only the lone ranger would tolerate his own vulnerability and fallibility.
    — Jordan Kisner, The Atlantic, 19 Apr. 2021
  • Kaneland pitcher Emilee Erickson, wearing a protective face mask in Friday’s Class 3A state semifinal, was no lone ranger.
    — Rick Armstrong, Aurora Beacon-News, 9 June 2018
Definition of lone ranger
Noun
  • Yeah, Sam has been a lone wolf, sort of a samurai, traveling the world on very high-stakes solo missions in all parts of the globe in dangerous hotspots.
    — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2026
  • However, Rhea left a GIF of a lone wolf on one of Moreno’s TikTok videos less than two weeks after the series wrapped.
    — Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 25 July 2026
Definition of lone wolf
Noun
  • Medical student Antonia most closely resembles her mother, while Kylie, now a Harvard student, is a bit more of a free spirit.
    — Alex Jhamb Burns, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Deborah is a sheltered young woman, a free spirit with a flair for the spotlight and a big heart who’s still figuring out her own path at Hillman.
    — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of free spirit

Browse Nearby Words

enfants terribles
enfant terrible
enfeeble
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Cite this Entry

“Enfant terrible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enfant%20terrible. Accessed 21 Sep. 2026.

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