SKIP TO CONTENT

malcontent

/ˌmælkənˈtɛnt/
IPA guide

Other forms: malcontents

A malcontent is someone who's always dissatisfied. The guy at the restaurant who sends back the steak because it's too rare, then sends it back a second time complaining that it's not rare enough — he's a malcontent.

Malcontent is often used to describe people who complain about more important things than steaks — things like social and political injustice. In Shakespeare's day, the Malcontent was a popular character type. Hamlet was a classic Malcontent. He believed that his uncle, King Claudius, murdered his father for power, and it made him angry that everyone else seemed to think that Claudius was a good person.

Definitions of malcontent
  1. adjective
    discontented as toward authority
    discontent, discontented
    showing or experiencing dissatisfaction or restless longing
  2. noun
    a person who is discontented or disgusted
    see moresee less
    types:
    caviler, caviller, pettifogger, quibbler
    a disputant who quibbles; someone who raises annoying petty objections
    sorehead
    someone who is peevish or disgruntled
    squabbler
    someone who quarrels about a small matter
    type of:
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘malcontent'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family