Word
naughty
US/ˈnɔti/
UK/nˈɔːti/
Definitions
01misbehaving child
B1 · Intermediate
adj. behaving badly or not following rules; you use this mostly for children.
adj. mischievous or disobedient; typically applied to children or pets for minor infractions.
“The naughty boy hid his sister's shoes before they had to leave for school.”
“The teacher had to speak with the parents after several naughty incidents involving the student disrupting the afternoon lessons.”
Synonyms
02risqué or cheeky
B2 · Upper Intermediate Informal · Humorous
adj. slightly shocking or related to sex in a playful, joking way.
adj. suggestive or sexually provocative in a playful, non-serious manner.
“He told a naughty joke that made everyone at the dinner table blush.”
“The comedian's routine was full of naughty double entendres that delighted the late-night audience but would have been inappropriate for a daytime broadcast.”
Synonyms
03unhealthy treat
B2 · Upper Intermediate Cooking Informal · Humorous
adj. describing food that is delicious but very unhealthy or fattening.
adj. indulgent or decadent, particularly regarding food that is perceived as a guilty pleasure.
“I know I'm on a diet, but I'm going to have a naughty piece of chocolate cake.”
“The dessert menu featured several naughty options, including a triple-chocolate fudge brownie served with extra whipped cream.”
Antonyms
04wicked or evil
C2 · Proficiency Archaic · Literary
adj. very bad or evil.
adj. morally reprehensible or wicked; the original sense of the word before it weakened to describe children.
“The old stories speak of a naughty world where people forgot to be kind.”
“In the famous Shakespearean line, a small candle is said to throw its beams far in a naughty world, highlighting the rarity of virtue.”
Etymology
From late Middle English noughti, naughty (“evil, immoral, wicked”), from nought (“evil, immoral”) + -ī̆ (suffix forming adjectives). Analysable as naught + -y.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/naughty