Quick answer
Miscreant means a wrongdoer or contemptible person. It sounds old-fashioned, dramatic, and more literary than ordinary words like offender or troublemaker.
Word page
Miscreant Meaning
A miscreant is a wrongdoer, villain, or contemptible person. It is the sort of word that makes bad behavior sound like it has been summoned before a medieval court.
At a glance
How to say it
Meaning in plain English
In plain English, a miscreant is someone who has done wrong or is viewed as morally bad. The word can be serious, but in modern writing it often carries a theatrical, old-fashioned bite.
Tone, context, and nuance
Miscreant is stronger than rascal and more formal than troublemaker. It works well in fiction, playful scolding, headlines, or deliberately dramatic description. In legal or plain practical writing, offender or wrongdoer is usually clearer.
Word origin
Miscreant comes through French from older roots connected with false belief or bad faith. Modern English mostly uses it for a wrongdoer or contemptible person rather than the older religious sense.
Example sentences
- Simple: The miscreant fled before anyone noticed the missing purse.
- Everyday: Who is the miscreant who finished the last cookie?
- Writing: The castle gates opened just as the miscreant returned in disguise.
- Nuance: Miscreant sounds more theatrical than wrongdoer and less playful than scallywag.
- Awkward: "The email was a miscreant." Better: "The person who sent the email was a miscreant."
Common mistakes
- Using it for mild annoyance: Miscreant suggests wrongdoing, not just irritation.
- Confusing tone with everyday neutrality: It sounds dramatic and old-fashioned.
- Forgetting adjective use: Miscreant can also describe bad behavior, though the noun is more common.
- Using it where offender is clearer: For legal clarity, offender or suspect may be better.
Similar words and differences
Opposite words
innocent, upright person, hero, benefactor, law-abiding person
Word family
Miscreant can be used as a noun or adjective. Related ideas include misconduct, wrongdoing, villainy, and moral blame.
Writing tip
Use miscreant when you want a dramatic label for a wrongdoer. If your goal is plain clarity, choose wrongdoer, offender, or culprit.
Common questions
- What does miscreant mean in simple words? Miscreant means a wrongdoer, villain, or contemptible person.
- Is miscreant an insult? Yes. It is an old-fashioned insult for someone seen as bad or badly behaved.
- Is miscreant formal or informal? It sounds literary, old-fashioned, or deliberately dramatic.
- How do you pronounce miscreant? Miscreant is pronounced MIS-kree-unt.
- What is another word for miscreant? Similar words include wrongdoer, villain, reprobate, scoundrel, and blackguard.
Editorial note
Edited by Absurd Words. Last updated: May 14, 2026. See the editorial policy for how definitions, examples, labels, and update checks are handled on the site.
Want to learn more about Miscreant?
You can also look up Miscreant on these trusted language resources: