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
Still, Scherzinger was fascinated with the way the enfant terrible’s brain worked and his ability to attract a new generation of theatergoers to London’s once-stodgy West End.
—
Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 28 Oct. 2025
The spectacular failure of aspiring enfant terrible David Hogg this week in the first test of his youth movement in an Arizona House primary would seem to point in the same direction, but look closer.
—Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 18 July 2025
Blockbuster: Caravaggio 2025, Palazzo Barberini Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio—known far and wide as Caravaggio—was quite the enfant terrible.
—Julie Belcove, Robb Report, 10 June 2025
Miley Cyrus, Mayor Pauline Miley’s transition from enfant terrible to one of the industry’s most creative staples suggests a kind of mid-career stability present in damsel in distress turned politician Pauline.
Katy Perry, Daisy
Obviously!!!
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for enfant terrible
Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 28 Oct. 2025
The spectacular failure of aspiring enfant terrible David Hogg this week in the first test of his youth movement in an Arizona House primary would seem to point in the same direction, but look closer.
—Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 18 July 2025
Blockbuster: Caravaggio 2025, Palazzo Barberini Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio—known far and wide as Caravaggio—was quite the enfant terrible.
—Julie Belcove, Robb Report, 10 June 2025
Miley Cyrus, Mayor Pauline Miley’s transition from enfant terrible to one of the industry’s most creative staples suggests a kind of mid-career stability present in damsel in distress turned politician Pauline.
Katy Perry, Daisy
Obviously!!!
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for enfant terrible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enfant terrible
Noun
-
This isn’t the first time Tecovas has taken a maverick position.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
3 Mar. 2026
-
In 1992, Ross Perot ran as a maverick presidential candidate on one major issue, the peril of huge debts, deficits and especially interest payments that were devouring the budget and leaving less and less money for the retirees, health care and defense.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
As Kissinger understood, even lone rangers need friends.—
MARGARET MACMILLAN,
Foreign Affairs,
21 July 2025
-
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
-
There’s a lone wolf and cub sort of a thing.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
23 Feb. 2026
-
But the Horse is not a lone wolf.—
Marie Bladt,
Vogue,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Bradley is a bit of a free spirit herself.—
Dan Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Nevertheless, the free spirit of Americans cannot be suppressed.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Enfant terrible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enfant%20terrible. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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