# rogue

/ˈɹoʊɡ/ (US) · /ɹˈəʊɡ/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. a dishonest person

noun · CEFR B2

a person who is dishonest or does things that are not principled.

For teachers: a person who lacks principles or acts in a deceitful and unreliable manner.

- The rogue cheated the elderly couple out of their life savings.
- The investigation revealed that a rogue within the department had been leaking sensitive information to the press for months.

### 2. a playful person

noun · CEFR B2 · Humorous

a person, often a child, who is mischievous but in a way that is likeable.

For teachers: a person, typically a child or young person, who behaves in a playfully mischievous way.

- That little rogue stole a cookie when I wasn't looking.
- He gave her a wink, looking like a charming rogue who was about to break all the rules.

### 4. fantasy character

noun · CEFR B2

a character in a game or story who is good at hiding and stealing.

For teachers: a character class in role-playing games typically characterised by stealth, agility, and trickery.

- I usually play as a rogue because I like to sneak past enemies.
- The party's rogue successfully picked the lock while the guards were distracted by the wizard's illusion.

### 5. behaving unpredictably

adjective · CEFR B2

behaving in an unexpected or harmful way, often by breaking the rules.

For teachers: operating outside of normal or desirable controls; unpredictable and often destructive.

- A rogue wave crashed over the side of the ship without warning.
- The government is concerned about rogue states that refuse to follow international nuclear treaties.

### 6. to remove inferior plants

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical

to remove plants that are weak or not the right type from a group.

For teachers: to remove inferior or atypical plants from a crop to maintain the quality of the stock.

- The farmers had to rogue the field to ensure the seeds stayed pure.
- To maintain the genetic integrity of the strain, technicians must rogue any individuals showing undesirable variations before pollination occurs.

Usage: The verb is transitive and requires a direct object, usually the field or the plants themselves.

## Examples

- A rogue wave hit the ship without any warning.
- The agency spent months trying to track down the rogue agent who had stolen the secret files.
- In the absence of central oversight, several rogue states began developing prohibited technologies, effectively undermining the international treaty designed to ensure global security.

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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.