Word.ws English Dictionary

Synonyms of troublemaker

109 similar words

Another word for troublemaker is mischief-maker. Other synonyms of troublemaker are instigator, agitator, rascal, ruffian and scamp.

Synonyms and similar words for troublemaker

nounA complainer.

  • bellyacherOne who bellyaches; a complainer.
  • carperA person who habitually carps, who talks too much and regularly finds fault.
  • castigatorOne who castigates.
  • cavilerA person who cavils; a faultfinder, quibbler or nitpicker.
  • censurerOne who censures.
  • complainer
  • crabberA person who finds fault or criticizes.
  • critic
  • criticizerA person who criticizes; a carper or faultfinder.
  • faultfinderA person who finds fault.
  • grouchOne who is grumpy or irritable.
  • grumblerA person who persistently grumbles; a complainer.
  • grumpA habitually grumpy or complaining person.
  • grumpy pants
  • kvetcherA person who kvetches; a complainer, kvetch.
  • nitpickerOne who nitpicks (finds fault in unimportant details).
  • pettifogger
  • quibblerSomebody who quibbles.
  • scolder
  • smellfungusA faultfinder, complainer, grumbler.
  • sourpussA person who is habitually gloomy, sullen or miserable; a grouch; a scowling person.
  • squeaky wheelA complainer; one who speaks out when there are problems (often pejorative).
  • vituperatorOne who vituperates, or censures abusively.
  • whinerOne who whines about perceived problems; a complainer.
  • whinger
  • whining WillySomeone who whines incessantly; a whiner.
  • findfault obsoleteA faultfinder.
  • hafter obsoleteA maker of handles for knives and other tools.
  • latrant obsoleteOne who is barking, a dog, (figurative) a complainer.
  • pick-fault obsoleteA critic; a censorious person.

nounMore synonyms

  • agitatorOne who agitates; one who stirs up or excites others, for example political reformers.
  • bad boy
  • bad news
  • bearA rough, unmannerly, uncouth person.
  • beggarA mean or wretched person; a scoundrel.
  • bhoyA tough, a thug.
  • blackguard
  • booger
  • boot boy
  • bovver boyA hooligan who creates bother (trouble), specifically a member of a skinhead gang.
  • brat
  • brawler
  • buffoon
  • bugger
  • bully
  • charva dialectal
  • cutup
  • devil
  • elf
  • enfant terrible
  • firebrandAn argumentative troublemaker or revolutionary; one who agitates against the status quo.
  • gadfly
  • hell-raiser
  • hood
  • hoodlumA rough or violent youth.
  • hool slang
  • hoolie slang
  • hooliganA young person who causes trouble or violence, typically as a member of a gang or other group.
  • hothead
  • imp
  • inciterOne who incites.
  • initiator
  • instigatorA person who intentionally instigates, incites, or starts something, especially one that creates trouble.
  • joker
  • jokester
  • knave
  • loutA troublemaker, often violent; a rude violent person; a yob.
  • makebate
  • minx
  • mischiefA cause or agent of annoyance, harm or injury, especially a person who causes mischief.
  • mischief-makerA person who makes mischief.
  • miscreant
  • ne'er-do-well
  • pixie
  • pot stirrerOne who causes unrest; one who stirs the pot.
  • practical jokerSomeone who instigates practical jokes; a prankster.
  • pranksterOne who performs pranks.
  • puck
  • punkA petty criminal, especially a juvenile delinquent.
  • rabble rouserSomeone or something that tends to inspire mobs; something controversial or provocative.
  • rapscallionA rascal, scamp, rogue, or scoundrel.
  • rascalA cheeky person or creature; a troublemaker.
  • rogue
  • rowdy
  • ruffianA scoundrel, rascal, or unprincipled, deceitful, brutal and unreliable person.
  • scampA rascal, swindler, or rogue; a ne'er-do-well.
  • scapegraceA wild and reckless person (especially a boy); a scoundrel.
  • scoundrelA mean, worthless fellow; a rascal; a villain; a person without honor or virtue.
  • shit disturberA person who causes needless difficulties or distress for others; a troublemaker.
  • shitmongerA person who peddles worthless, overblown, or harmful ideas or gossip.
  • shit-stirrerOne who enjoys creating trouble for others by provoking controversy, for example by revealing facts that others would...
  • tearawayAn impetuous and reckless person who is difficult to control; a hothead.
  • thug
  • toughA person who obtains things by force; a thug or bully.
  • undesirableAn undesirable person.
  • vandal
  • wag
  • wrangler
  • yob UK
  • yobbo UKA yob.
  • breedbate obsoleteSomeone who causes quarrels; a quarreler.
  • jackanapes dated(A proper name for) a person thought to behave like an ape or monkey, for example, in being impudent, mischievous...
  • kindle-coal obsoleteA troublemaker.
  • kindle-fire obsoleteSomething, such as a person or event, that initiates events or incites a response.
  • rakeshame obsoleteAn objectionable person.
  • rantipole obsoleteA rude, unruly young person.
  • roly-poly obsoleteA mischievous or worthless person; a scoundrel, a rascal.
  • titivil obsoleteA mischievous gossip or a troublemaker.
  • wagpastie obsoleteA rogue; a rascal; a scoundrel.

Meaning of troublemaker

  1. noun One who causes trouble, especially one who does so deliberately.
  2. noun A complainer.

Full definition of troublemaker

troublemaker in other languages

Questions about synonyms of troublemaker

What is another word for troublemaker?
Troublemaker has 109 synonyms on Word.ws, such as mischief-maker, instigator, agitator, rascal, ruffian, scamp, lout and hoodlum.
What does troublemaker mean?
Troublemaker means one who causes trouble, especially one who does so deliberately.

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: troublemaker (page history and authors) and the entries of the words listed. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws grouped the synonyms and antonyms by meaning and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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Cite this page: “Synonyms of troublemaker.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/troublemaker. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.