misdemean — to behave badly or inappropriately
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to behave badly or inappropriately
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˌmɪsdɪˈmiːn/
Example Sentences
- The celebrity's fans were shocked when he misdemeaned himself at the award ceremony by making rude comments.
- My cat seems to misdemean itself whenever guests come over, knocking things off tables and meowing loudly.
- The politician promised not to misdemean himself again after the scandal.
misdemean
VERB[/ˌmɪsdɪˈmiːn/]
to behave badly or inappropriately

someone behaving badly and inappropriately in a place requiring respectful conduct
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Middle English, combining 'mis-' (wrongly) with 'demean' (to conduct oneself). Originally meant to behave badly or conduct oneself improperly, later giving rise to the legal term 'misdemeanor' for minor crimes.
Breakdown
mis- (wrongly/badly) + demean (to conduct oneself, from Old French demener)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The celebrity's fans were shocked when he misdemeaned himself at the award ceremony by making rude comments.”
“My cat seems to misdemean itself whenever guests come over, knocking things off tables and meowing loudly.”
“The politician promised not to misdemean himself again after the scandal.”
“Even robots in sci-fi movies seem to misdemean themselves when their programming goes wrong.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
Want to master 19,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.