miscreants
Those who misbehave
Miscreants are people who behave badly or break rules—wrongdoers, troublemakers, villains.
The word carries a literary or slightly archaic flavor, often used with mock seriousness: The miscreants who toilet-papered my house will pay.
It can describe petty offenders or serious criminals, depending on context.
Those who play jokes
- rascalsMischievous troublemakers
- scoundrelsDishonest, unprincipled people
- roguesDishonest or deviant individuals
- impsMinor demons or rascals
rapscallions · troublemakers · scallywags · ne'er-do-wells · tricksters · hellions · knaves · urchins
Moral law violators
- evildoersThose who do wrong
- villainsEvil characters in narratives
- reprobatesMorally unprincipled people
- degeneratesWorsens over time
transgressors · apostates · heretics · infidels · wretches · blackguards · scoundrels · unprincipled
Young criminals or troublemakers
- offendersThose who commit wrongs
- lawbreakersPeople who violate statutes
- wrongdoersPeople who commit misdeeds
- felonsSerious crime offenders
culprits · perpetrators · vandals · hooligans · thugs · criminals · outlaws · gangsters
pranksters
Those who play jokes
- rascalsMischievous troublemakers
- scoundrelsDishonest, unprincipled people
- roguesDishonest or deviant individuals
imps · rapscallions · troublemakers · scallywags · ne'er-do-wells · tricksters · hellions · knaves · urchins · ruffians
sinners
Moral law violators
- evildoersThose who do wrong
- villainsEvil characters in narratives
- reprobatesMorally unprincipled people
degenerates · transgressors · apostates · heretics · infidels · wretches · blackguards · scoundrels · unprincipled · wicked
delinquents
Young criminals or troublemakers
- offendersThose who commit wrongs
- lawbreakersPeople who violate statutes
- wrongdoersPeople who commit misdeeds
felons · culprits · perpetrators · vandals · hooligans · thugs · criminals · outlaws · gangsters · troublemakers
- deceiversliar, liars, deceiver, fraud, fake
- thugsthugs, goons, heavies, toughs, brutes
- bad influenceswrong crowd, peer pressure, bad habits, enablers, manipulators
miscreantssaints
Canonized religious figures
angels · do-gooders · benefactors · altruists · philanthropists
miscreantspillars of the community
Respected, influential local figures
worthies · dignitaries · notables · elders