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
And all you Chicken Jockey popcorn-throwing troublemakers — your impact on moviedom has been swept from the theater. — Chris Lee, Vulture, 1 Sep. 2026 Aguilera joined in a group beatdown of Ferrer, who lives on the block, after the Queens homeowner confronted the troublemakers with a baseball bat, according to court documents. — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 28 Aug. 2026 In fact, in the early days of Trumpism’s rise the South Carolina Senator attempted to block it from taking hold of a party that, just eight years earlier, had once been helmed by Graham’s best friend and fellow Senate troublemaker John McCain. — Philip Elliott, Time, 28 July 2026 In the movie, Broderick played Ferris, a teenage troublemaker who breaks the rules — and the fourth wall. — Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 22 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 2 Sep. 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

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