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
She was accused of misbehavior that included mismanaging the budget, failing to carry out personnel instructions and ordering a subordinate to spy by Palmer’s legally privileged email correspondence.
—Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 6 Feb. 2026
This is a broad category of misbehaviors, ranging from excessive public displays of affection to actual lovemaking on the plane.
—Christopher Elliott, Dallas Morning News, 14 Jan. 2026
For those who remember having to stay after school and write the same sentence over and over on a chalkboard as punishment for misbehavior, there are reminders in the restrooms.
—John Meyer, Denver Post, 6 Jan. 2026
Of all the recent poster boys for appalling misbehavior by the State Police, Michael Proctor would of course rank number one.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 4 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for misbehavior
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Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 6 Feb. 2026
This is a broad category of misbehaviors, ranging from excessive public displays of affection to actual lovemaking on the plane.
—Christopher Elliott, Dallas Morning News, 14 Jan. 2026
For those who remember having to stay after school and write the same sentence over and over on a chalkboard as punishment for misbehavior, there are reminders in the restrooms.
—John Meyer, Denver Post, 6 Jan. 2026
Of all the recent poster boys for appalling misbehavior by the State Police, Michael Proctor would of course rank number one.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 4 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for misbehavior
Cite this Entry
“Misbehavior.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misbehavior. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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