Naughty Definition and Meaning
By Maham Liaqat & Urooj Arif — Updated on March 6, 2024
Naughty means behaving disobediently or mischievously, especially in a harmless or playful way. e.g., The naughty puppy chewed on the furniture.
Table of Contents
Naughty Definitions
Inclined to misbehave in a teasing or playful manner.
He gave her a naughty wink.
Disobeying established rules or norms, especially by children.
Naughty children often find themselves in time-out.
Not conforming to good morals or conduct; improper.
That joke is considered quite naughty.
Referring to something slightly indecent or risqué, often humorously.
She wore a naughty costume to the party.
Exhibiting a tendency to cause trouble or annoyance.
The naughty cat knocked over the vase.
Marked by a lack of discipline or control.
Without supervision, the kids became quite naughty.
Engaging in or suggestive of inappropriate or indecent behavior.
The movie contains some naughty scenes.
Used to describe actions that are playful yet slightly wrong or improper.
His naughty grin betrayed his mischief.
Indicative of a playful willingness to flout the rules.
They exchanged naughty glances during the meeting.
Behaving disobediently or mischievously
A naughty child.
Indecent; improper
A naughty wink.
One that is naughty.
Mischievous; tending to misbehave or act badly (especially of a child).
Some naughty boys at school hid the teacher's lesson notes.
Sexually provocative; now in weakened sense, risqué, cheeky.
I bought some naughty lingerie for my honeymoon.
If I see you send another naughty email to your friends, you will be forbidden from using the computer!
Evil, wicked, morally reprehensible.
(obsolete) Bad, worthless, substandard.
To perform sexual acts upon.
Having little or nothing.
[Men] that needy be and naughty, help them with thy goods.
Worthless; bad; good for nothing.
The other basket had very naughty figs.
Hence, corrupt; wicked.
So shines a good deed in a naughty world.
Mischievous; perverse; froward; guilty of disobedient or improper conduct; as, a naughty child.
Suggestive of sexual impropriety;
A blue movie
Blue jokes
He skips asterisks and gives you the gamy details
A juicy scandal
A naughty wink
Naughty words
Racy anecdotes
A risque story
Spicy gossip
Badly behaved;
He was saucy and mischievous in school
A naughty boy
Showing a lack of respect or consideration for others.
It's naughty to interrupt when others are speaking.
Naughty Snonyms
Wicked
Slightly immoral or bad for you, but in an attractive way.
She had a wicked sense of humor.
Rascally
Resembling or characteristic of a rascal; playfully misbehaving.
The rascally children hid the teacher's chalk.
Impish
Inclined to do slightly naughty things for fun; mischievous.
His impish grin was a prelude to a prank.
Disobedient
Not following the rules or commands given by authority.
The disobedient dog refused to sit on command.
Puckish
Playful, especially in a mischievous way.
His puckish behavior kept the mood light.
Mischievous
Causing or showing a fondness for causing trouble in a playful way.
The mischievous kitten was always hiding socks.
Rogue
Behaving in ways that are not expected or not normal, often in a way that causes damage.
A rogue elephant was causing chaos in the village.
Unruly
Disorderly and disruptive and not amenable to discipline or control.
The unruly student was sent to the principal's office.
Frisky
Playful and full of energy.
The frisky puppy chased its tail around the yard.
Prankish
Given to or characterized by playing tricks or pranks.
Their prankish antics were always in good spirit.
Naughty Idioms & Phrases
Being a little naughty
Engaging in mildly bad behavior.
They knew they were being a little naughty by sneaking out.
Naughty step
Similar to the naughty corner, a place for discipline.
She sat on the naughty step reflecting on her actions.
Naughty corner
A designated spot for time-outs for children.
After drawing on the walls, he was sent to the naughty corner.
Naughty list
A fictional list Santa Claus uses to categorize misbehaving children.
If you're not good, you'll end up on the naughty list.
Naughty by nature
Someone inherently inclined to misbehave.
That child is naughty by nature, always getting into trouble.
Naughty grin
A smile that implies mischievous or playful intentions.
He had a naughty grin when he mentioned the surprise.
Naughty but nice
Something slightly improper but enjoyable.
The dessert was naughty but nice, rich with chocolate.
Naughty twinkle
A look suggesting playful mischief.
There was a naughty twinkle in her eye as she planned the prank.
A naughty streak
A tendency to occasionally misbehave.
Despite his good nature, he had a naughty streak.
Naughty behavior
Actions that are mischievous or disobedient.
The teacher addressed the naughty behavior in class.
Naughty word
A swear word or an inappropriate term.
The child got in trouble for using a naughty word.
Naughty or nice
A phrase questioning someone's behavior, often used with children.
Have you been naughty or nice this year?
Play naughty
To behave mischievously or provocatively.
The students decided to play naughty during the substitute teacher's class.
Get up to something naughty
To engage in mischief or troublemaking.
The quiet in the room suggested the kids were up to something naughty.
A naughty smile
A smile that implies hidden knowledge or mischief.
She gave a naughty smile as she hid his keys.
Naughty antics
Playful or mischievous actions.
The puppy's naughty antics included stealing socks.
Turn a naughty deed
To do something mischievous or slightly wrong.
They turned a naughty deed by TP'ing the neighbor's house.
A naughty sense of humor
Enjoyment of humor that is slightly indecent.
His naughty sense of humor always made her laugh.
A bit naughty
Slightly improper or mischievous.
Sneaking in snacks to the cinema is considered a bit naughty.
Naughty joke
A joke with risqué or slightly indecent content.
He was known for his naughty jokes among friends.
Naughty Example Sentences
He whispered a naughty joke, making her laugh.
The teacher had to speak to the naughty student about his behavior.
She left a naughty note in his book.
Their naughty puppy is always getting into trouble.
She gave him a naughty smile across the room.
The naughty child hid the remote as a joke.
Being naughty, the dog stole a sock and ran away.
That naughty boy is always up to some prank.
The kids got naughty and started a food fight.
The cat's naughty antics amused everyone.
She found his naughty sense of humor charming.
The children were being particularly naughty today.
He sent her a text with a naughty emoji.
At the party, they played some naughty games.
The kitten's naughty behavior made it even more adorable.
Common Curiosities
How do we divide naughty into syllables?
Naughty is divided into syllables as naugh-ty.
Why is it called naughty?
"Naughty" comes from the Old English "nawiht," meaning "nothing," which evolved to describe worthlessness and then misbehavior or wickedness.
How is naughty used in a sentence?
"Naughty" is used to describe mischievous or disobedient behavior, e.g., The naughty dog chewed up the couch cushions.
What is the pronunciation of naughty?
Naughty is pronounced as /ˈnɔːti/ or /ˈnɒti/ depending on the dialect.
How many syllables are in naughty?
Naughty has two syllables.
What is a stressed syllable in naughty?
The stressed syllable in "naughty" is the first syllable, naugh-.
What is the root word of naughty?
The root of "naughty" is the Old English "nawiht," meaning "nothing."
What part of speech is naughty?
"Naughty" is an adjective.
What is the verb form of naughty?
There is no direct verb form of "naughty." The related verb would be "misbehave."
What is another term for naughty?
Another term for "naughty" could be "mischievous" or "impish."
Is naughty a vowel or consonant?
The word "naughty" starts with a consonant sound.
Is naughty an abstract noun?
"Naughty" is an adjective, not a noun, so it cannot be abstract.
Is the word naughty imperative?
"Naughty" is an adjective and not used in the imperative mood.
Is the word naughty Gerund?
"Naughty" is not a gerund; it is an adjective.
What is the plural form of naughty?
As an adjective, "naughty" does not have a plural form.
Is naughty a noun or adjective?
"Naughty" is an adjective.
Which vowel is used before naughty?
The vowel used before "naughty" depends on the article or adjective preceding it, e.g., "a" as in "a naughty child."
Which preposition is used with naughty?
Prepositions like "for" can be used with "naughty," as in "naughty for doing that."
Which article is used with naughty?
Both "a" and "the" can be used with "naughty" depending on the context, e.g., "a naughty dog" or "the naughty list."
Is the naughty term a metaphor?
"Naughty" can be used metaphorically to describe playful misbehavior.
Is the word “naughty” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
"Naughty" is an adjective and does not function as a direct or indirect object.
Which determiner is used with naughty?
Determiners like "a," "the," or "that" can be used with "naughty" depending on the context.
Which conjunction is used with naughty?
Conjunctions like "and" or "but" can be used in sentences involving "naughty."
What is the singular form of naughty?
"Naughty" remains the same in singular form as it is an adjective.
What is the opposite of naughty?
The opposite of "naughty" could be "well-behaved" or "obedient."
Is naughty an adverb?
No, "naughty" is not an adverb.
Is naughty a negative or positive word?
"Naughty" generally has a negative connotation, but it can be used playfully in a positive or endearing context.
Is naughty a countable noun?
"Naughty" is not a noun; it is an adjective.
Is naughty a collective noun?
No, "naughty" is an adjective and not a collective noun.
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Written by
Maham LiaqatCo-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.