misbehaved

Misbehaved is the past tense and past participle of the verb misbehave. It describes acting in a way that violates rules, norms, or expectations. The term can refer to people, groups, or, less commonly, animals, whenever conduct is judged improper or disruptive within a given setting. In plain usage, misbehaved often carries a moral or disciplinary connotation, signaling that behavior fell short of what was considered acceptable.

Misbehave is formed from the prefix mis-, meaning wrongly, attached to behave. The word dates from the early modern period, and misbehaved is the standard past tense and past participle form. Conjugation follows ordinary English patterns: misbehave, misbehaved, misbehaving, misbehaves. The term is widely understood across varieties of English.

Common contexts include education, workplaces, and media reports about rule violations. Example: "The student misbehaved during the assembly." In animal training or popular writing, authorities may describe a dog or horse as misbehaved when its actions diverge from expected behavior. The term remains informal and may reflect the speaker's viewpoint about severity or intent.

Related terms include misbehavior (the noun form), misbehaving (present participle), and misbehaviors. Related concepts include conduct, discipline, and behavioral issues. In formal writing, alternatives such as "engaged in inappropriate conduct" or "violated policy" may be preferred, depending on severity and context.