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miscreant

miscreant

22 8.4
A person who does bad things or breaks the law
  • noun
  • /ˈmɪskrɪənt/
  • Offensive
translation icon : canalla
  • Then the two miscreants were brought into the prosecutor's office.
  • punish society's miscreants
  • band of miscreants
  • other miscreants

And the power of that relic is so great that even in the hands of miscreants it's not to be opposed.

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Examples

  • The police ask the public for help in identifying the miscreant who vandalized the park.

  • The miscreant who robbed me of my love.

  • A miscreant known as the butcher.

  • Hell, we may be saving some poor miscreant soul's life by doing this.

  • I would like to see these miscreants pay for what they've done, just once.

    Blog text (12)
  • Instead, for example, one miscreant had been seized by the constabulary for the high crime of kicking lamp posts.

    Academic text (2006)
  • The situation at CHNS involving ORVs and their miscreant operators is bizarre.

    Blog text (13)
  • Patrick and several other miscreants sit quietly, mulling over their misfortune.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • The miscreant was finally caught after committing multiple crimes in the neighborhood.

  • Many considered him a miscreant for his dishonest business practices.

Synonyms

perpetrator
vsmiscreant
161 6.8

A person who commits a crime or other serious wrong

includes immoral conduct beyond only crimes
sinner
vsmiscreant
151 4.0

A person who does things seen as morally wrong, often by religion

includes legal wrongdoing and nonreligious immoral behaviour
bad person
vsmiscreant
  • Offensive
104 1.6

A person who harms others on purpose or does wrong things

also covers people who break laws or act without morals
lowlife
vsmiscreant
  • Offensive
71 7.7

A person who is dishonest or breaks the law

focuses more on general bad behaviour and moral failings
deviant
vsmiscreant
  • Offensive
23 8.5

A person whose behavior is very different from what most people accept, often about sex

focuses on moral failing and lawbreaking rather than merely being different
delinquent
vsmiscreant
20 6.1

A young person who commits crimes or behaves badly

is not limited to youth and includes adult misconduct
lawbreaker
vsmiscreant
11 3.8

A person who does things that are against the law

also covers people who are morally bad, not only illegal acts
wrongdoer
vsmiscreant
8 4.3

A person who breaks the law or hurts other people

focuses more on lack of principles and habitual bad behaviour
reprobate
vsmiscreant
  • Offensive
8 9.1

A person who behaves badly and does not care about what is right

covers immoral or illegal acts without implying deep depravity
transgressor
vsmiscreant
3 7.7

A person who breaks a law or important rule

is broader, covering general bad behaviour as well as lawbreaking
bounder
vsmiscreant
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A man who behaves in a rude or dishonest way

is gender-neutral and covers more serious immoral or illegal acts
law offender
vsmiscreant
3.0

A person who breaks the law

is broader, including immoral behaviour beyond legal breaches

How Bad

monster
  • Offensive
470 3.3
villain
272 3.3
criminal
2.1
miscreant
  • Offensive
22 8.4
wrongdoer
8 4.3

Surface Forms

miscreant singular
miscreants plural

Etymology

The word miscreant comes from Latin parts mis- 'wrong' and credere 'to believe', so it first meant an 'unbeliever' and then a 'wicked' person. That's why today a miscreant is someone who behaves badly or breaks the law.