hellions
Mischievous young rascals
Hellions are wild, unruly troublemakers—typically children or young people who cause mischief or chaos: Those little hellions trampled my flower beds.
The word carries a tone of exasperated affection more often than genuine condemnation, suggesting energetic misbehavior rather than true malice.
Those causing problems deliberately
- rascalsMischievous troublemakers
- scampsPlayful troublemakers
- rapscallionsMischievous troublemakers
- scalawagsPlayful troublemakers
rogues · pranksters · imps · delinquents · hooligans · hoodlums · miscreants · ne'er-do-wells
Untamed, unsocialized youth
- juvenile delinquentsMinors who break laws
- urchinsScrappy street children
- whippersnappersPresumptuous young people
- punksPetty troublemakers
tearaways · enfants terribles · problem children · street kids · guttersnipes · little monsters · holy terrors
Armed opposition fighters
- disobedienceRefusal to follow orders
- insubordinationDefying workplace authority
- unrulinessDifficult to manage behavior
- recalcitranceStubborn refusal to obey
willfulness · obstinacy · contrariness · nonconformity · resistance · intractability · stubbornness · mutiny
Noisy, disruptive commotion
- uproarNoisy public disturbance
- commotionNoisy, confused disturbance
- brawlDisorderly group fight
- fracasNoisy disorderly fight
melee · riotous · roughhousing · horseplay · carousing · rabble-rousing · disturbance · rampage
troublemakers
Those causing problems deliberately
- rascalsMischievous troublemakers
- scampsPlayful troublemakers
- rapscallionsMischievous troublemakers
scalawags · rogues · pranksters · imps · delinquents · hooligans · hoodlums · miscreants · ne'er-do-wells · bad eggs
wild children
Untamed, unsocialized youth
- juvenile delinquentsMinors who break laws
- urchinsScrappy street children
- whippersnappersPresumptuous young people
punks · tearaways · enfants terribles · problem children · street kids · guttersnipes · little monsters · holy terrors
rebels
Armed opposition fighters
- disobedienceRefusal to follow orders
- insubordinationDefying workplace authority
- unrulinessDifficult to manage behavior
recalcitrance · willfulness · obstinacy · contrariness · nonconformity · resistance · intractability · stubbornness · mutiny · dissent
ruckus
Noisy, disruptive commotion
fracas · melee · riotous · roughhousing · horseplay · carousing · rabble-rousing · disturbance · rampage · mayhem
- troublemakerstroublemaker, rascals, delinquents, imps, brats
- thugsthugs, goons, heavies, toughs, brutes
hellionsangels
Divine winged messengers
goody-goodies · darlings · teacher's pets · saints · sweethearts