misbehavior
noun
mis·be·hav·ior
ˌmis-bi-ˈhā-vyər 
-bē-
plural misbehaviors
1
: bad, improper, or rude behavior : ill conduct
scolded the children for their misbehavior
2
US military law
: any conduct by a member of the armed forces before or in the presence of the enemy that does not conform to military standards or practice for such a situation
… is charged with desertion and misbehavior before the enemy, the latter of which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.—
The Boston Herald
The Boston HeraldExamples of misbehavior in a Sentence
would not tolerate any misbehavior from her students
Recent Examples on the Web
Giving them enough exercise and mental stimulation can help prevent misbehavior.
—Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025
Democrats, however, panned Hegseth as completely unqualified and unfit to lead the nation’s armed forces given his lack of managerial experience and multiple allegations of misbehavior.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 24 Jan. 2025
Its original formula peeks in at the misbehavior of mostly white American characters set loose on vacation spots that allow for the display of modern-day colonialism — first Hawaii, then Italy, and now Thailand.
—Armond White, National Review, 9 Apr. 2025
The most alarming misbehavior was brazen dishonesty.
—Steven Levy, Wired News, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for misbehavior
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.
Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025
Democrats, however, panned Hegseth as completely unqualified and unfit to lead the nation’s armed forces given his lack of managerial experience and multiple allegations of misbehavior.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 24 Jan. 2025
Its original formula peeks in at the misbehavior of mostly white American characters set loose on vacation spots that allow for the display of modern-day colonialism — first Hawaii, then Italy, and now Thailand.
—Armond White, National Review, 9 Apr. 2025
The most alarming misbehavior was brazen dishonesty.
—Steven Levy, Wired News, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for misbehavior
Cite this Entry
“Misbehavior.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misbehavior. Accessed 28 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share