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
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
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
See All Example Sentences for enfant terrible
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
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
See All Example Sentences for enfant terrible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enfant terrible
Noun
-
Hancock himself changed the genre forever through his maverick forays into jazz fusion in the 1970s.—
Hannah Edgar,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Jan. 2026
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Recall that in the 1992 presidential race, independent candidate and political unknown Ross Perot made the exploding interest on the national debt a centerpiece of his maverick campaign and captured nearly 20% of the popular vote, thanks in large part to hammering home the looming danger ahead.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
15 Jan. 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
-
Caleb, a perpetual lone wolf, is none too happy to be at the Academy.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
16 Jan. 2026
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Jack is the selfish lone wolf who becomes part of a team in order to defeat Brass Body, a destructive force whose flesh can transform into metal (played by Dave Bautista).—
Matt Zoller Seitz,
Vulture,
11 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Elliott says her free spirit stems from growing up with an artist as a dad who didn’t really enforce a strict schedule.—
Anna Halkidis,
Parents,
9 Dec. 2025
-
Stop playing small with your gifts and allow your free spirit to lead.—
Tatianna Tarot,
Refinery29,
2 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Enfant terrible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enfant%20terrible. Accessed 24 Jan. 2026.
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