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
In addition, the event’s most unusual offering, the 220-pound, 18-karat gold toilet by the conceptual artist and enfant terrible Maurizio Cattelan, only drew a single bid.
—
Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 19 Nov. 2025
Taken together with Scorsese’s own unvarnished self-assessment, these conversations transcend Behind the Music clichés to create a portrait of the artist as a man whose path from brash enfant terrible to beloved eminence was paved with introspection.
—Judy Berman, Time, 30 Oct. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for enfant terrible
Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 19 Nov. 2025
Taken together with Scorsese’s own unvarnished self-assessment, these conversations transcend Behind the Music clichés to create a portrait of the artist as a man whose path from brash enfant terrible to beloved eminence was paved with introspection.
—Judy Berman, Time, 30 Oct. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for enfant terrible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enfant terrible
Noun
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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
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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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The historian blames lil T’s shift from team player to lone wolf.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
17 Mar. 2026
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Weaving, for one, was told that her backstory was that of a lone wolf who grew up in foster care.—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In character as a free spirit who scorns social convention, Davis is all haughty tosses of the head and sneering lines.—
Darren Franich,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
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But plenty praise Liu, too, for her free spirit and genuineness — sometimes with a subtle nod to her father's role in the 1989 Tiananmen Square democracy protests that landed him in the United States.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Enfant terrible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enfant%20terrible. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.
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