naughty
mildly disobedient, esp. children
Not doing what an adult says, or not following rules, in a small and not very serious way.
[someone]/[an animal] is naughty
- If you're naughty again, you'll have to sit by yourself for five minutes.
- The teacher sent the naughty boys to the principal’s office.
- Our puppy is very naughty and keeps chewing the furniture.
- She gave her son a warning look for being naughty at the dinner table.
- The children have been much less naughty since we started using a reward chart.
- The little boy is naughty in class.
- My cat is naughty and jumps on the table.
- Her daughter was naughty, so she did not get ice cream.
- Please don’t be naughty when we visit grandma.
- The naughty puppy took my shoe.
playfully sexual or indecent
A little sexual or not polite about sex, but in a playful way and not very serious.
a naughty [joke/picture/website]
- He told a few naughty jokes that made everyone blush and laugh.
- The magazine was full of naughty pictures and had to be hidden from the children.
- She sent him a naughty text message late at night.
- The film is funny but a bit naughty in places, so it’s not really for kids.
- They flirted and exchanged naughty messages all weekend.
- This TV show is too naughty for children.
- He made a naughty joke about their teacher.
- She does not like naughty pictures in magazines.
- They send naughty text messages to each other.
- He closed the page when he saw it was a naughty website.
slightly improper but playful
Doing something a little wrong or not allowed, but in a fun, playful way that people do not see as very bad.
a naughty [act/treat/sense of humor]
- I was a bit naughty and had cake for breakfast.
- That was very naughty of you, hiding my phone as a joke.
- She gave him a naughty grin and changed the subject.
- He has a rather naughty sense of humor that not everyone enjoys.
- We booked a naughty weekend away instead of visiting his parents.
- I felt naughty and bought an expensive dress.
- He was naughty and took the last piece of chocolate.
- She gave me a naughty smile and closed the door.
- We had a naughty treat and ate ice cream before dinner.
- That was naughty of you, but it was still funny.
taboo or rude (of words)
A word or way of speaking that adults say you should not use because it is rude or bad.
a naughty [word/word list/language]
- We don’t use naughty words in this house.
- The teacher told him off for writing a naughty word on the desk.
- She covered the child’s ears when someone shouted a naughty word.
- He laughed when his three-year-old repeated a naughty word from TV.
- There’s a list of naughty words that are not allowed on that website.
- My mom says that is a naughty word.
- Please do not use naughty words in class.
- He learned a naughty word from a movie.
- Parents try not to say naughty words at home.
- She told her son, "We never say that naughty word."
impressively good in a cheeky way
British slang: very good or cool in a strong way, often about a move, goal, sound, or style that feels a bit wild.
a naughty [goal/shot/bassline]
- What a naughty goal that was from the halfway line!
- The DJ dropped a really naughty bassline and the crowd went crazy.
- That was a naughty little move to get past the defender.
- The commentator called it a naughty goal.
- My friend said the guitar solo was really naughty.
- He did a naughty trick in the game and everyone shouted.
- They danced to a naughty beat in the club.
- Fans loved his naughty skills on the ball.
- Base: naughty
- Comparative: naughtier
- Superlative: naughtiest
naughty but nice
1slightly bad yet very enjoyable
Used about food, fun, or behavior that is not good for you or not fully correct, but feels very enjoyable.
- That chocolate cake is naughty but nice.
- They had a naughty but nice weekend away in a luxury hotel.
- The advert describes the dessert as a naughty but nice treat.
naughty corner
1corner for time-out punishment
A corner of the room where a child must go and stay for a short time when they behave badly.
- She sent her son to the naughty corner for refusing to share.
- The nursery uses a naughty corner when children keep breaking the rules.
- He cried when he had to stand in the naughty corner again.
naughty list
1list of people who misbehaved
A list of people who behaved badly, especially the list in Christmas stories of children who will not get presents.
- If you keep shouting, Santa will put you on the naughty list.
- The boss joked that anyone late again would go on his naughty list.
- She teased her friends that they were all on her naughty list this year.
naughty step
1time-out place for misbehaving child
A step or small area where a child must sit alone for a few minutes when they behave badly.
- If you hit your sister again, you’ll have to sit on the naughty step.
- The toddlers know that the naughty step is where they go to calm down.
- He spent five minutes on the naughty step for throwing his toys.
Naughty, naughty
1playful scolding for misbehavior
A joking way to tell someone they have done something small and wrong or cheeky.
- He shook his finger and said, "Naughty, naughty," when the child lied.
- Naughty, naughty, you started eating without waiting for everyone.
- She laughed and whispered, "Naughty, naughty," when he told her his plan.