as in agitator
a person who causes trouble; a person who creates problems or difficulties involving other people
He had the reputation of being a troublemaker in high school.
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Recent Examples of troublemaker
Fishing with his father and grandfather was a welcome release, but school brought out his inner troublemaker.
—
Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 30 Oct. 2025
The show, set in Chicago, starred O’Neill as women’s shoe salesman Al Bundy, Sagal as his wife Peggy, Applegate as not-so-bright daughter Kelly and Faustino as troublemaker son Bud.
—Michael Schneider, Variety, 28 Oct. 2025
Photograph courtesy Peter Matthiessen estate The second of three children, Matthiessen was the resident troublemaker.
—Maggie Doherty, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
Sometimes there’s a kid who is labeled a ‘troublemaker’ who just needs to be heard.
—Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for troublemaker
Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 30 Oct. 2025
The show, set in Chicago, starred O’Neill as women’s shoe salesman Al Bundy, Sagal as his wife Peggy, Applegate as not-so-bright daughter Kelly and Faustino as troublemaker son Bud.
—Michael Schneider, Variety, 28 Oct. 2025
Photograph courtesy Peter Matthiessen estate The second of three children, Matthiessen was the resident troublemaker.
—Maggie Doherty, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
Sometimes there’s a kid who is labeled a ‘troublemaker’ who just needs to be heard.
—Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for troublemaker
Recent Examples of Synonyms for troublemaker
Noun
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Load the down coat into a front-load washer or a high-efficiency top-load washer without a center agitator for gentle agitation.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
14 Jan. 2026
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Federal agents fired tear gas and rubber bullets after agitators hurled fireworks at them outside a federal building in Minneapolis on Monday amid continued resistance to immigration enforcement in the Twin Cities.—
Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
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While this time around things went a bit smoother, the Step Up actress teases that, still, plenty of chaos will ensue.—
Liza Esquibias,
PEOPLE,
7 Jan. 2026
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Fans have already seen a Hannah Montana 20th anniversary tease, Miley Cyrus says.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The company will present a first-look teaser at the event.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
20 Jan. 2026
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Jake says in a teaser clip shared exclusively with PEOPLE.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Kelly, of all people, was the enthusiastic breeze who blew me over—a bellwether more than an instigator of my emotional state.—
Noah Galuten,
The Atlantic,
4 Jan. 2026
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From the instigator to the crybaby, everyone gets to partake in the seasonal chaos.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
25 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Instead, the lawsuit argued, law enforcement in the area where the harasser lived should have served the papers.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
27 Dec. 2025
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Moreover, when harassers disproportionately target women, people of color and LGBTQ officials, entire communities are systematically excluded from participation in self-governance.—
Ernestine Nettles,
Mercury News,
22 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Troublemaker.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/troublemaker. Accessed 21 Jan. 2026.
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