What does naughtier mean?
Naughtier is the comparative form of the adjective naughty, meaning more mischievous, badly behaved, or playfully unruly. It is especially common when comparing children, pets, or playful fictional characters, but it can also describe more serious misconduct, such as a naughtier schoolboy or a naughtier version of a comic performance. The word usually carries a light, affectionate, or humorous tone, though context can make the criticism more severe. In everyday use, 'naughtier than' is the usual construction: a child may be naughtier than a sibling, and a prank may be naughtier than an earlier one. The word belongs to the same word family as naughty, naughtiest, naughtiness, and naughtily. Its unusual spelling, with the silent letters 'gh,' reflects the historical development of English rather than a pronunciation rule.
adjectiveComparative of naughty: having or showing more bad or mischievous behavior than someone or something else.
- Having or showing more bad, mischievous, or unmanageable behavior than another person or thing.
"The younger child was naughtier than his older brother, hiding the remote control whenever he could."
"The puppy became naughtier whenever it was left alone."
"Compared with last year's production, the sequel was naughtier and more irreverent."
The word naughty literally grew from naught, the old word for 'nothing': a 'naughty' person was originally someone with nothing good in them, before the word developed its modern playful sense.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does naughtier come from?
Naughtier is the comparative form of naughty, an adjective that developed in Middle English and ultimately relates to naught, meaning 'nothing' or 'none.' The suffix -y formed an adjective from the older base, while -er marks the comparative. The spelling with 'gh' reflects the historical form of the word, and the same root underlies forms such as naughtiness and naughtily.
Related word forms
How naughtier is actually used
Usually informal or gently humorous when describing children, although it can be critically serious when referring to misconduct. The comparative is commonly used with 'than.'
Easily confused with naughtier
Naught means 'nothing' or 'none,' whereas naughtier is the comparative form of naughty and describes increased mischievousness or bad behavior.