naughty
Prone to mischief
Naughty describes mildly bad behavior, especially in children who disobey or misbehave: Don't be naughty—eat your vegetables.
The word carries a playful, not serious, tone.
In adult contexts, naughty often suggests sexual impropriety with a wink rather than genuine scandal: a naughty joke, feeling naughty.
Something naughty is titillating rather than truly transgressive.
Playfully mischievous in manner
- cheekyPlayfully disrespectful
- playfulInclined toward fun
- roguishMischievously charming
- prankishFond of tricks
rascally · teasing · mischief-maker · troublemaker · sly · waggish · elfin · pixie
Hinting at impropriety
- indecentOffensive to accepted standards
- bawdyHumorously indecent
- racyMildly indecent in content
- bluePrimary color; also sad
improper · off-color · titillating · spicy · saucy · raunchy · lewd · smutty
Affectedly modest
- teasingPlayful, mild ridicule
- seductivePowerfully attractive, tempting
- coquettishPlayfully alluring in manner
- sultryHot, humid, or alluring
provocative · alluring · come-hither · frisky · kittenish · tantalizing · wink · tempting
Openly resisting control
- unrulyDifficult to control
- willfulIntentionally unyielding
- waywardStubbornly self-willed
- rebelliousResisting authority or control
insubordinate · contrary · headstrong · recalcitrant · undisciplined · disruptive · noncompliant · obstinate
Temporary halt in activity
- cornerMeeting point of edges
- scoldingHarsh verbal criticism
- groundedStable and realistic
- misbehavingConducting oneself improperly
tantrum · bratty · spoiled · discipline · consequences · reprimand · detention · punishment
impish
Playfully mischievous in manner
prankish · rascally · teasing · mischief-maker · troublemaker · sly · waggish · elfin · pixie · scampish
suggestive
Hinting at impropriety
blue · improper · off-color · titillating · spicy · saucy · raunchy · lewd · smutty · dirty
coy
Affectedly modest
- teasingPlayful, mild ridicule
- seductivePowerfully attractive, tempting
- coquettishPlayfully alluring in manner
sultry · provocative · alluring · come-hither · frisky · kittenish · tantalizing · wink · tempting
defiant
Openly resisting control
rebellious · insubordinate · contrary · headstrong · recalcitrant · undisciplined · disruptive · noncompliant · obstinate · rule-breaking
time-out
Temporary halt in activity
misbehaving · tantrum · bratty · spoiled · discipline · consequences · reprimand · detention · punishment · behave
- childlike traitsplayful, curious, innocent, imaginative, young
- misbehaviormisbehave, misbehavior, mischief, misconduct, disobedient
- mischievousimpish, sly, prankster, roguish, cheeky
- risquerisque, racy, bawdy, ribald, suggestive
- sinsgreed, lust, gluttony, deadly sin, sloth
- naughty listSanta's record of misbehavers
- naughty wordsTaboo vocabulary
- naughty bitsEuphemism for genitalia
- come to naughtResult in nothing achieved
- naughty stepChild discipline perch
- naughty jokesHumor with inappropriate content