Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

misbehave

/mˌɪsbəhˈeɪv/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.51 in modern English

Syllables
mis-be-have
IPA
/mˌɪsbəhˈeɪv/
19
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
3
Syllables
8
Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To act or behave in an inappropriate, improper, incorrect, or unexpected manner.

Intransitive verb

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Middle English misbehaven, equivalent to mis- + behave.

Origin

Word Breakdown

Usage

Inflected Forms

misbehaves (present, singular) misbehaving (participle, present) misbehaved (participle, past) misbehaved (past)

Derived Forms

misbehaver

Frequently Paired Words

misbehavior misbehaviour

Synonyms

go it carry on err misconduct misdemean

Rhymes With

gave save they've wave dave brave slave grave cave behave shave rave

Questions

How do you pronounce misbehave?
The recorded pronunciation is /mˌɪsbəhˈeɪv/.
What does misbehave mean?
To act or behave in an inappropriate, improper, incorrect, or unexpected manner.
Where does misbehave come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce misbehave

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “misbehave”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/mˌɪsbəhˈeɪv/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “misbehave”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “misbehave” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.