as in torturers
a person who causes trouble; a person who creates problems or difficulties involving other people
He had the reputation of being a troublemaker in high school.
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Recent Examples of troublemakers
Meanwhile, younger brother Sam begins to suspect that Michael's new friends are not merely troublemakers, but vampires.
—
Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 2026
They may be passed up for promotions or labeled as troublemakers.
—Alene Tchekmedyian, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
The Hooligan Who Rewrote the Rules Kea parrots are already famous for being troublemakers.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
The book looked at the world of Bad Bridgets, a swath of Irish women emigrants that were deemed troublemakers, noting that for a time Irish women outnumbered Irish men in prison.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 26 Mar. 2026
My great-grandfather said that the next day, the whole town celebrated because the troublemakers were gone.
—Masha Hamilton, Longreads, 19 Feb. 2026
Iris Apatow and Costa D'Angelo are the latest troublemakers to stir the pot at Baird.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Jan. 2026
Across China, tens of thousands of people tagged as troublemakers like the Yangs are trapped in a digital cage, barred from leaving their province and sometimes even their homes by the world’s largest digital surveillance apparatus.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
In a recent study published in Nature Aging, researchers at UC San Francisco sought to identify the molecular troublemakers that cause our brains to age prematurely.
—Pranjal Malewar, New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2025
Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 2026
They may be passed up for promotions or labeled as troublemakers.
—Alene Tchekmedyian, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
The Hooligan Who Rewrote the Rules Kea parrots are already famous for being troublemakers.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
The book looked at the world of Bad Bridgets, a swath of Irish women emigrants that were deemed troublemakers, noting that for a time Irish women outnumbered Irish men in prison.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 26 Mar. 2026
My great-grandfather said that the next day, the whole town celebrated because the troublemakers were gone.
—Masha Hamilton, Longreads, 19 Feb. 2026
Iris Apatow and Costa D'Angelo are the latest troublemakers to stir the pot at Baird.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Jan. 2026
Across China, tens of thousands of people tagged as troublemakers like the Yangs are trapped in a digital cage, barred from leaving their province and sometimes even their homes by the world’s largest digital surveillance apparatus.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
In a recent study published in Nature Aging, researchers at UC San Francisco sought to identify the molecular troublemakers that cause our brains to age prematurely.
—Pranjal Malewar, New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for troublemakers
Noun
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Incredibly, one of Schiller's torturers, Jorge Delgado - the Sun Gym member who had first told Lugo about Schiller and his millions - ended up helping the federal government make their case.—
Troy Roberts,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
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His torturers shattered his hands and paraded him around the stadium, taunting him to try to play his guitar.—
Christina Hioureas,
Rolling Stone,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Of course, that conservative approach is often wrecked by QB harassers such as Lawrence and Williams, part of a defense that ranked seventh in the NFL in sacks.—
Eric Branch,
San Francisco Chronicle,
17 Jan. 2026
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Moreover, when harassers disproportionately target women, people of color and LGBTQ officials, entire communities are systematically excluded from participation in self-governance.—
Ernestine Nettles,
Mercury News,
22 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The film is about the complexities of mental health, Blaze teases.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Apr. 2026
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Viewers will also get early teases of Vought Rising within the final season of The Boys, offering a first look at what’s ahead as the story continues to evolve.—
Angelique Brenes,
PEOPLE,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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On May 3, 1886, violent agitators at the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company clashed with police, who opened fire on the crowd, killing at least two, according to reports.—
Preston Mizell,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
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Birdbaths that have small fountains or agitators also keep the water rippling.—
Joan Morris,
Mercury News,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Troublemakers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/troublemakers. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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