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naughty

naughty

145 1.0
Badly behaved or not following rules, usually a child
  • adjective
  • /ˈnɔti/
translation icon : travieso
  • Father Christmas has a list of naughty people and nice people.
  • a naughty child
  • a naughty boy
  • the naughty step

Well, I'm joined by two very naughty pests indeed.

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Examples

  • You're a naughty girl.

  • You have been a naughty, naughty girl.

  • Tell me a time that you were naughty, not nice.

  • I thought you were still in Paris, you naughty boy.

  • The naughty child continues, somehow or other, in much the same numbers as ever.

    Academic text (2014)
  • OK, let's see Cookie, are you naughty or nice this year?

  • Ready Poo is being a very naughty boy.

  • Rodger, I think you are a very naughty boy.

  • Oh, you better not stand too close to that mistletoe, naughty boy.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • The teacher said the naughty children would have to stay after school.

Synonyms

rowdy
vsnaughty
34 3.6

Making a lot of noise and disturbing other people

is mainly noisy disorder rather than general disobedient conduct
rambunctious
vsnaughty
13 7.5

Very noisy and full of energy that is hard to control

focuses on bad behaviour as disobedience rather than noisy energy
bratty
vsnaughty
  • Offensive
12 5.5

To behave in a rude, spoiled way like a child

is general bad behaviour or disobedience rather than spoiled rudeness
mischievous
vsnaughty
5 4.1

Something that tries to cause harm or trouble

is broader, covering disobedience that may lack harmful intent
brattish
vsnaughty
  • Offensive
8.2

A child who behaves badly and expects special treatment

is the broader term for bad conduct not only spoiled manners
spanky
vsnaughty
  • Informal
9.4

Behaving in a naughty, cheeky way that can lead to mild punishment

is more general misbehaviour rather than cheeky provocation
up to some devilment
vsnaughty
  • UK
9.6

Doing small naughty things for fun

is about bad or disobedient conduct rather than playful pranks

Antonyms

45 1.0

Willing to do what someone in charge tells you

25 2.8

Polite and calm around other people

Compounds

naughty word
  • Offensive
1 6.1

A rude word that is not for children

naughty step
  • Baby Talk
1 7.7

A place where a child sits as a short punishment for bad behaviour

9.5

A short part of a film, book, or joke that is slightly rude

How Naughty

delinquent
23 6.6
bad
12 4.9
naughty
145 1.0
mischievous
19 3.5
playful
79 1.6
well-behaved
25 2.8

Surface Forms

naughty positive
naughtier comparative
naughtiest superlative

Morphology

naughty = naught (opaque) = naught + y

The word historically comes from 'naught' + '-y', but the modern sense 'badly behaved' is not directly predictable from the base meaning 'nothing'.

Etymology

The word naughty comes from the old word naught, which meant 'nothing' or 'worthless'. So, as 'worthless' changed to 'bad' or 'wicked' long ago, naughty came to mean someone who does not behave well, like a misbehaving child.