1
as in villain
a mean, evil, or unprincipled person
the city's run-down waterfront was occupied mostly by disreputable places frequented by drunkards and rapscallions
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2
as in monkey
an appealingly mischievous person
that little rapscallion kept hiding my shoes and making me go look for them
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Recent Examples of rapscallion
Korda has declared that, because his nine sons are, frankly, nincompoops and rapscallions, Liesl will be the sole heir to his fortune.
—
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 24 May 2025
At the train station where Delta Slim performs, the rapscallion Stack reunites, uneasily, with old flame Mary (Hailee Steinfeld), who has been waiting a little too long for the charming dog who ditched her.
—Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2025
Born on Christmas in 1899, Bogart was a rapscallion from the jump despite being born into a fairly well-off family.
—Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 1 Mar. 2025
Ever since her husband died from a bee sting, the matriarch has smoothly guided her octet of rapscallions through proposals, scandals, and balloon disasters.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 14 June 2024
Renée Zellweger is set to return as the lovable but flailing at life Jones as is Hugh Grant as rapscallion Daniel Cleaver.
—Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Apr. 2024
Klay, that other young rapscallion, is Kyle’s assistant quarterbacks coach with the Niners.
—Joe Nguyen, The Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2024
Devers’s list also includes Harlond Clift, who with a name like that couldn’t have been a ballplayer, but an actor who, oh, probably portrayed a rapscallion of a love interest for Bette Davis in a series of 1930s films.
—Chad Finn, BostonGlobe.com, 5 Apr. 2023
That rapscallion Demna Gvasalia has done it again.
—Vulture, 6 July 2022
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 24 May 2025
At the train station where Delta Slim performs, the rapscallion Stack reunites, uneasily, with old flame Mary (Hailee Steinfeld), who has been waiting a little too long for the charming dog who ditched her.
—Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2025
Born on Christmas in 1899, Bogart was a rapscallion from the jump despite being born into a fairly well-off family.
—Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 1 Mar. 2025
Ever since her husband died from a bee sting, the matriarch has smoothly guided her octet of rapscallions through proposals, scandals, and balloon disasters.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 14 June 2024
Renée Zellweger is set to return as the lovable but flailing at life Jones as is Hugh Grant as rapscallion Daniel Cleaver.
—Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Apr. 2024
Klay, that other young rapscallion, is Kyle’s assistant quarterbacks coach with the Niners.
—Joe Nguyen, The Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2024
Devers’s list also includes Harlond Clift, who with a name like that couldn’t have been a ballplayer, but an actor who, oh, probably portrayed a rapscallion of a love interest for Bette Davis in a series of 1930s films.
—Chad Finn, BostonGlobe.com, 5 Apr. 2023
That rapscallion Demna Gvasalia has done it again.
—Vulture, 6 July 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rapscallion
Noun
-
Two of the game’s most brilliant villains have matured into eloquent eulogists.—
Simon Vozick-Levinson,
Rolling Stone,
30 June 2025
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For an industry which has long been treated by the television and film industries as a dirty, dangerous business run by unethical, cartoon-ish villains like J.R. Ewing, such a balanced portrayal is a welcome change, indeed.—
David Blackmon,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2025
Noun
-
Many of the racist stereotypes depicted are negative toward Black people in the United States, showing them as monkeys, absent parents, or criminals.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
3 July 2025
-
Golden sunsets, rocky coves, offshore islands, and abundant wildlife (monkeys, sloths, toucans) add visual richness.—
Rafa Sales Ross,
Variety,
2 July 2025
Noun
-
This freshly re-imagined Jag is worlds apart from that old German brute, but was similar in the sense of feeling wonderfully light and responsive, and utilizing hydraulic fluid to power its steering.—
Peter Nelson,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2025
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Cops released surveillance photos of a trio of brutes wanted for punching, repeatedly stabbing and robbing a man on a Bronx train last month.—
Emma Seiwell,
New York Daily News,
7 June 2025
Noun
-
Assign someone to challenge ideas or play devil’s advocate.—
Elizabeth Freedman,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
-
Like, Mars is a character, kind of like a devil on my shoulder.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
27 June 2025
Noun
-
Call of Cthulhu flipped a lot of gaming conventions on their head with characters that degraded over time and scenarios that rewarded fleeing monsters instead of slaying them.—
Rob Wieland,
Forbes.com,
3 July 2025
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Complaining on NextDoor about traffic, some locals fled downtown Austin like a movie monster was stomping behind them.—
Ramon Ramirez,
Austin American Statesman,
2 July 2025
Noun
-
And now, without further ado, an ode to the rogues and rascals who make being hot and doing crimes in this galaxy so fun to watch.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
22 Apr. 2025
-
Something tells me those wary rascals spotted us and gave us the slip.—
Percy Brown,
Outdoor Life,
12 June 2025
Noun
-
Often regarded by historians as a collection of savage tribes, the Scythians emerge as a pivotal force of the ancient world in this monumental history.—
The New Yorker,
The New Yorker,
30 Jan. 2023
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Nearly 32 years ago, Rodney King’s savage beating by police in Los Angeles prompted heartfelt calls for change.—
Aaron Morrison, Claudia Lauer and Adrian Sainz,
Anchorage Daily News,
29 Jan. 2023
Noun
-
Recently, however, the technology has been used by criminals for purposes of sextortion.—
Steve Weisman,
Forbes.com,
5 July 2025
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But with this bill, Republicans are laying the groundwork to gut safeguards that stopped criminals from getting these deadly weapons.—
Khaleda Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rapscallion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rapscallion. Accessed 13 Jul. 2025.
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