What does misbehaved mean?
Misbehaved is an adjective describing someone or something that has acted badly, particularly a child or animal that has been naughty, disobedient, or difficult to control. It usually refers to conduct that has already occurred rather than to a general personality trait. In everyday use, it can sound less severe than terms such as “delinquent” or “antisocial,” though its tone can be firm or disapproving depending on context. The word is common in family, school, travel, and public-settings situations, as in “a misbehaved child” or “a misbehaved passenger.” It is also used more broadly for machinery or systems that malfunction, although that sense is less frequent. The form combines the negative prefix “mis-” with “behave,” making the meaning transparent: misbehaved people or things have not behaved properly.
adjectiveHaving behaved badly, especially by being naughty, disobedient, or disorderly.
- Having behaved badly, especially by being naughty, disobedient, or disorderly.
"The misbehaved children were asked to leave the restaurant."
"The misbehaved children were asked to leave the restaurant."
"A misbehaved passenger caused the delay."
Misbehaved is built on the same idea as behaving: add the prefix mis- and a once-good conduct becomes a memorable fault.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Words that share this root
Related word forms
How misbehaved is actually used
The word is commonly used for children, students, animals, and passengers. It is generally informal or conversational and often implies a specific episode of bad conduct.