# naughty

/ˈnɔti/ (US) · /nˈɔːti/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/naughty
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. misbehaving child

adjective · CEFR B1

behaving badly or not following rules; you use this mostly for children.

For teachers: 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.

### 2. risqué or cheeky

adjective · CEFR B2 · Informal · Humorous

slightly shocking or related to sex in a playful, joking way.

For teachers: 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.

### 3. unhealthy treat

adjective · CEFR B2 · Informal · Humorous

describing food that is delicious but very unhealthy or fattening.

For teachers: 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.

### 4. wicked or evil

adjective · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Literary

very bad or evil.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- The naughty puppy chewed on my favorite shoes.
- The teacher told the naughty student to stay inside during the afternoon break.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.