naughtiness

noun

Definition of naughtinessnext
1
as in misbehavior

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words
2
as in vulgarity

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of naughtiness There’s a tonal tug-of-war in this movie between naughtiness and aching sincerity. — Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 18 Aug. 2026 TikTok users responded in droves, with many sharing similar stories of their own dogs becoming trapped in clothing or household items due to their own naughtiness. — Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026 The guest-only Chapel Club has a more plush, salon-like feel and there’s more than a hint of naughtiness with stained glass windows casting color onto the sensual artworks. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Jan. 2026 Yes, the comedy is steadily simmering if not at a full boil, but if a bit of British naughtiness sounds appealing, this might just be your cup of tea. — Matthew J. Palm, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Jan. 2026 The Krampus scares children, to remind them of the wages of naughtiness. — Veronique Greenwood, Time, 21 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for naughtiness
  1. misbehavior
  2. vulgarity
  3. devilment
  4. indiscretion
  5. misconduct
  6. crudeness
  7. mischievousness
  8. coarseness
Noun
  • OpenAI said its agents disabled parts of an internal misbehavior monitoring system, intensifying worries of AI acting in malign ways.
    — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Over the past decade, school districts across Texas have sought to make classrooms safer by swelling the number of police officers on campuses and taking a tougher stance on misbehavior.
    — Kristian Hernández, San Antonio Express-News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of misbehavior
Noun
  • Lower courts upheld the ban, finding the veiled vulgarity of the phrase allows schools to ban it.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The diaries—particularly in Julian Sachs’s unexpurgated version, which captures Pavese’s alternating earnestness, archness, and pungent vulgarity—pose something of a problem.
    — Max Norman, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of vulgarity
Noun
  • Mustard and vinegar provide the devilment for a flavorful bite, particularly when topped with a scattering of scallions and paprika.
    — SAVEUR Editors, Saveur, 5 Feb. 2025
  • But even if truffles are beyond your pay grade, there is plenty of enjoyment to be had in the sheer devilment portrayed in this informative and appetizing book.
    — Eugenia Bone, WSJ, 10 July 2019
Definition of devilment
Noun
  • Szabo doesn’t take kindly to Matt’s indiscretion and brutally carves up his face.
    — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Rogers’ indiscretion was later exploited by online blackmail scammers, ultimately leading to his downfall.
    — Eamon Javers, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of indiscretion
Noun
  • Davis argued that Slotkin described targeting junior personnel and young professionals to discourage them from serving, rather than solely to pursue justice for alleged misconduct.
    — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner earlier in October said that Lewis was acquitted in a previous murder case, blaming police misconduct for the outcome.
    — Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of misconduct
Noun
  • There’s some rudeness, aggressive conversations, and crudeness, but nothing too over the top.
    — Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 4 Aug. 2025
Definition of crudeness
Noun
  • Instead, Audi has built something that works remarkably well as everyday transportation while keeping a substantial reserve of mischievousness for those moments when an empty stretch of road appears.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 22 Aug. 2026
  • The tension latent in Jobim and Regina’s working relationship gives their rendition a mischievousness that’s sorely missed in the monotony of Art Garfunkel’s version, or the twee precision of Susannah McCorkle’s.
    — Lily Goldberg, Pitchfork, 13 June 2026
Definition of mischievousness
Noun
  • Most denim blends using hemp only include 20 or 30 percent of the fiber due to its coarseness.
    — Jennifer Bringle, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2026
  • But many seemingly urbane texts also benefited from the intellectual and moral coarseness of their times.
    — Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Definition of coarseness

Browse Nearby Words

naughtily
naughtiness
naughts
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Naughtiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/naughtiness. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of grotesque

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All