What is the opposite of “behaved”?

What is the antonym of “behaved”?

The antonyms of behaved are misbehave and act up. These words describe opposite behaviors, where behaved implies good conduct, and misbehave and act up imply bad behavior.

Brief Definitions of the Antonym(s)

Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!

misbehave

To behave badly or inappropriately, often breaking rules or social norms.

Example

The children were warned not to misbehave during the school trip.

act up

To behave in a disruptive or unruly manner, often causing trouble or inconvenience.

Example

The old computer started to act up and froze several times during the presentation.

How are these antonyms different from each other?

• 1. Misbehave implies breaking rules or social norms, while act up implies causing trouble or inconvenience.
• 2. Misbehave is often used to describe children's behavior, while act up can be used for both children and adults.
• 3. Act up can also mean malfunctioning or not working correctly, while misbehave does not have this meaning.

Good things to know

• 1. Parenting: Use misbehave to discipline children who break rules or behave inappropriately.
• 2. Workplace: Use act up to describe equipment or technology that is not functioning correctly.
• 3. Social Situations: Use misbehave and act up to describe people who are causing trouble or behaving inappropriately in public places.