troublemaker

troub·le·mak·er
T1R1O1U1B3L1E1M3A1K5E1R1
/ˈtɹʌbəlˌmeɪkə(ɹ)/

noun

One who causes trouble, especially one who does so deliberately.

“local troublemaker”

Similar
bellyachercarpercastigatorcavilercensurercomplainercrabbercritic
OriginEnglish make ← Middle English maken ← Old English macian →
UncommonScrabble 20
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Word of the Day · Apr 12, 2023

Meanings

nountroublemaker (plural troublemakers)

plural troublemakers · alternative trouble-maker · alternative trouble maker

  1. One who causes trouble, especially one who does so deliberately.

    local troublemaker

    3 more examples

    serial troublemaker

    The teacher separated the known troublemakers from the rest of the class.

    He gained a reputation as a political troublemaker.

  2. A complainer.

    Synonyms: bellyacher, carper, castigator, caviler, censurer, complainer, crabber, critic

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA complainer.

Similar
bellyachercarpercastigatorcavilercensurercomplainercrabbercriticcriticizerfaultfinderfindfaultgrouchgrumblergrumpgrumpy pantshafterkvetcherlatrantnitpickerpettifogger
Similar
agitatorbad boybad newsbearbeggarbhoyblackguardboogerboot boybovver boybratbrawlerbreedbatebuffoonbuggerbullycharvacutupdevilelfenfant terriblefirebrandgadflyhell-raiserhoodhoodlumhoolhooliehooliganhotheadimpinciterinitiatorinstigatorjackanapesjokerjokesterkindle-coalkindle-fireknaveloutmakebateminxmischiefmischief-makermiscreantne'er-do-wellpixiepot stirrerpractical jokerpranksterpuckpunkrabble rouserrakeshamerantipolerapscallionrascalrogueroly-polyrowdyruffianscampscapegracescoundrelshit disturbershitmongershit-stirrertearawaythugtitiviltoughundesirablevandalwagwagpastiewrangleryobyobbo
Narrower
chavfearmongerfearmongererlager loutLycra loutpanicmongerSaga loutscaremonger

More synonyms by meaning

nounsomeone who deliberately stirs up trouble

Similar
trouble makertroublermischief-makerbad hat
Broader
unwelcome personpersona non grata
Also see
bad hatbearbhoycomplainerfirebrandhempieinstigatormischief-makerprovokershit-stirrersqueaky wheeltrouble causertroublerwagpastie

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Englishtrouble
  2. Proto-Germanic*makaz
  3. Proto-West Germanic*mak
  4. Proto-West Germanic*makōn?
  5. Old Englishmacian
  6. Middle Englishmaken
  7. Englishmake
  8. Englishtroublemaker

From trouble + make + -er.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic مُثِير لِلْمَشاكِل, مُثِير لِلْمَتَاعِب
  • مُثِير لِلْمَشاكِل (muṯīr li-l-mašākil)one who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • مُثِير لِلْمَتَاعِب (muṯīr li-l-matāʕib)one who causes trouble, especially deliberately
Bulgarian сплетник
  • сплетник (spletnik)one who causes trouble, especially deliberately
Catalan cerca-raons
  • cerca-raonsone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
Chinese Mandarin 調皮鬼 /调皮鬼, 鬧事者 /闹事者
  • 調皮鬼 /调皮鬼 (tiáopí guǐ)one who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • 鬧事者 /闹事者 (nàoshìzhě)one who causes trouble, especially deliberately
Czech potížista, výtržník
  • potížistaone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • výtržníkone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • rebelantone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • buřičone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • potížistacomplainer
Danish fredsforstyrrer, spektakelmager
  • fredsforstyrrerone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • spektakelmagerone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
Dutch lastverkoper, druktemaker
  • lastverkoperone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • druktemakerone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • ruziemakerone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
Esperanto petolulo
  • petoluloone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
Finnish häirikkö, rauhanhäiritsijä
  • häirikköone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • rauhanhäiritsijäone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • rettelöitsijäone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • öykkärione who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • kiusankappaleone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • riitapukarione who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • riidankylväjäone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • valittajacomplainer
  • narisijacomplainer
French fauteur de troubles, perturbateur
  • fauteur de troublesone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • perturbateurone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • trublionone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
German Störenfried, Querulant
  • Störenfriedone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • Querulantone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • Unruhestifterone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • Randaliererone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • Rowdyone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • Raufboldone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
Hawaiian mea hoʻopilikia
  • mea hoʻopilikiaone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
Hungarian bajkeverő
  • bajkeverőone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
Icelandic vandræðagemlingur, vandræðagemsi
  • vandræðagemlingurone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • vandræðagemsione who causes trouble, especially deliberately
Irish mac mioscaise, clampróir
  • mac mioscaiseone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • clampróirone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
Italian piantagrane, attaccabrighe
  • piantagraneone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • attaccabrigheone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • casinistaone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • combinaguaione who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • rompipalleone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • rompiscatoleone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • pignolocomplainer
Japanese トラブルメーカー
  • トラブルメーカー (toraburumēkā)one who causes trouble, especially deliberately
Korean 말썽꾸러기
  • 말썽꾸러기 (malsseongkkureogi)one who causes trouble, especially deliberately
Latin vexātor, turbātor
  • vexātorone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • turbātorone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • pestiferone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • lātrātorone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • bovinātorone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
Māori kaimāreherehe
  • kaimārehereheone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
Norwegian masekopp
  • masekoppcomplainer
Norwegian Bokmål bråkmaker
  • bråkmakerone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
Polish mąciwoda, awanturnik
  • mąciwodaone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • awanturnikone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • awanturnicaone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • marudacomplainer
  • zrzędacomplainer
Portuguese desordeiro, encrenqueiro
  • desordeiroone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • encrenqueiroone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • reclamãocomplainer
Romanian zurbagiu, zurbagiu
  • zurbagiuone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • zurbagiucomplainer
Russian наруши́тель споко́йствия, смутья́н
  • наруши́тель споко́йствия (narušítelʹ spokójstvija)one who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • смутья́н (smutʹján)one who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • баламу́т (balamút)one who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • бузотёр (buzotjór)one who causes trouble, especially deliberately
Scottish Gaelic buaireadair
  • buaireadairone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
Spanish alborotador, bullanguero
  • alborotadorone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • bullangueroone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • camorristaone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • embrollónone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • enredadorone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • gamberroone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • provocadorone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • lianteone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • buscapleitosone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • pendencieroone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • broncasone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • pleitistaone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
Swahili mfitini, mfitini
  • mfitinione who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • mfitinicomplainer
Swedish bråkstake, bråkmakare
  • bråkstakeone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • bråkmakareone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • bråkmakerskaone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
Thai นักเลง, อันธพาล
  • นักเลง (nák-leeng)one who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • อันธพาล (an-tá-paan)one who causes trouble, especially deliberately
Turkish başağrısı, baş belası
  • başağrısıone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • baş belasıone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
Vietnamese người gây rối
  • người gây rốione who causes trouble, especially deliberately
Welsh codwr twrw, achoswr trwbl
  • codwr twrwone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
  • achoswr trwblone who causes trouble, especially deliberately
Cite this entry
APA

troublemaker. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/troublemaker

MLA

“troublemaker.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/troublemaker. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “troublemaker,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/troublemaker.

Source: troublemaker on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.