troublemaker

1 of 2

noun (1)

trou·​ble·​mak·​er ˈtrə-bəl-ˌmā-kər How to pronounce troublemaker (audio)
Synonyms of troublemakernext
: a person who consciously or unconsciously causes trouble
troublemaking
ˈtrə-bəl-ˌmā-kiŋ How to pronounce troublemaker (audio)
adjective or noun

troublemaking

2 of 2

noun (2)

: the behavior of a troublemaker

Examples of troublemaker in a Sentence

Noun (1) He had the reputation of being a troublemaker in high school.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
Instead, the Plaintiffs were labeled ‘troublemakers’ by the school and, therefore, not trustworthy. — Austin Horn july 14, Miami Herald, 14 July 2026 Waymo then stopped the car and alerted the San Mateo Police, who showed up and detained the troublemakers, according to a post on the department’s Facebook page. — Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 8 July 2026 This year’s milestone edition furthers that legacy by pairing foundational film voices with the next generation of artistic troublemakers. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 2 July 2026 To help boost those numbers, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWCC) recently released a brief PSA video advising on the best ways to locate and dispatch the ongoing troublemakers. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for troublemaker

Word History

First Known Use

Noun (1)

circa 1914, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of troublemaker was circa 1914

Rhymes for troublemaker

See All Rhymes for troublemaker

Browse Nearby Words

trouble light
troublemaker
troublemaking
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Troublemaker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/troublemaker. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

troublemaker

noun
trou·​ble·​mak·​er ˈtrəb-əl-ˌmā-kər How to pronounce troublemaker (audio)
: a person who causes problems or disagreements

More from Merriam-Webster on troublemaker

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for troublemaker

Nglish: Translation of troublemaker for Spanish Speakers

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