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.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of troublemaker
Climate troublemaker El Niño can cause heat waves, droughts and flooding around the world.
—
Doyle Rice, USA Today, 12 Mar. 2026
And then there’s that bag stuffed with cash and drugs, the real troublemaker.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2026
Their bid to cash in on the find quickly unravels into a dangerous pursuit, as smugglers and rivals close in and an unlikely band of companions, including a resourceful fish vendor and a volatile local troublemaker, get swept up in the mayhem.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 27 Feb. 2026
My great-grandfather said that the next day, the whole town celebrated because the troublemakers were gone.
—Masha Hamilton, Longreads, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for troublemaker
Doyle Rice, USA Today, 12 Mar. 2026
And then there’s that bag stuffed with cash and drugs, the real troublemaker.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2026
Their bid to cash in on the find quickly unravels into a dangerous pursuit, as smugglers and rivals close in and an unlikely band of companions, including a resourceful fish vendor and a volatile local troublemaker, get swept up in the mayhem.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 27 Feb. 2026
My great-grandfather said that the next day, the whole town celebrated because the troublemakers were gone.
—Masha Hamilton, Longreads, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for troublemaker
Recent Examples of Synonyms for troublemaker
Noun
-
Goche said much of the anger toward ICE is fueled by misinformation and agitators.—
Brooke Taylor,
FOXNews.com,
3 June 2026
-
The bag will help protect the garment from friction, snagging, and other damage caused by other items in the wash, and add an extra layer between the machine’s drum and center agitator and the clothing.—
Jolie Kerr,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
All three tease the impending events in interviews with EW.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
27 May 2026
-
During that time, Flair and Ripley have largely been on the same page, but there have been plenty of teases of tension as well.—
Blake Oestriecher,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
The Avalanches have shared their second single since launching a stealthy teaser campaign earlier this year.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
1 June 2026
-
Starz has also released the first teaser for the new season, which can be seen below.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Rimet, the instigator of the World Cup, was an enthusiastic supporter of professional soccer at a time when amateur sport was considered superior.—
Sam Knight,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
-
Money is an effect, never an instigator of economic activity.—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
Still, the star did not name her harassers.—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
22 May 2026
-
Most harassers do not harass others in front of someone else.—
Briana Mascaro,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Troublemaker.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/troublemaker. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
