miscreant

MIS-kree-uhnt/ˈmɪs.kɹi.ənt/

Pluralmiscreants

5 meanings of miscreant

1
offendernouncountable
A person who does bad things or breaks the law.
Somebody broke our fence, and we never caught the miscreant.
A group of miscreants threw eggs at cars on Halloween.
UsageOften a jokey, serious-sounding word for people who do small bad things.
Similarwrongdoer, culprit, troublemaker, villain, offender
Note
2
adjective
Behaving badly or breaking rules, often in a naughty or wild way more than an evil one.
Our miscreant puppy chewed through two pairs of shoes this week.
The teacher sent the miscreant boys to the principal's office.
UsageUsually before a noun: a miscreant puppy. Often a little jokey.
Similarunruly, rowdy, mischievous, disobedient
Oppositewell-behaved, obedient
Note
3
adjective
Not caring at all about what is right or wrong.
The miscreant landlord kept the rent money and never fixed the heat.
The miscreant nephew emptied his aunt's bank account while she was in the hospital.
Similarunscrupulous, corrupt, villainous, wicked, dishonest
Oppositehonest, upright, scrupulous

Less common meanings

4
nounarchaiccountable
A person who has false or wrong religious beliefs.
The old priest called anyone outside his church a miscreant.
The king's soldiers forced the miscreants to give up their faith.
Similarheretic, infidel, unbeliever, heathen
Oppositebeliever
Note
5
adjectivearchaic
Having religious beliefs that are false or wrong.
Similarheretical, unbelieving
Oppositeorthodox
Note

Practice

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Origin

From an Old French word meaning “someone who believes wrongly.”

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 1 fact

Miscreant derives from an Old French word meaning someone who believes wrongly. en.wiktionary.org