What does "scalawag" mean?
A disreputable fellow, a good-for-nothing, a scapegrace, a blackguard.
Scalawag
noun, slang
noun, slang ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A disreputable fellow, a good-for-nothing, a scapegrace, a blackguard.
- Grammar: scalawag is listed as noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: rascal, rogue, balker, balky horse.
- Useful contrasts: honest person, loyalist, patriot.
- Usage evidence: Calvin: "I'm very very sorry that I took your precious flaaggg!" Hobbes: "Just don't do it any more, you scurvy scalawaaggg!"
How to use "scalawag"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "scalawag" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "scalawag" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "scalawag" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "scalawag" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "scalawag" is acting as noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "rascal" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "scalawag", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A disreputable fellow, a good-for-nothing, a scapegrace, a blackguard. derogatory
"Calvin: "I'm very very sorry that I took your precious flaaggg!" Hobbes: "Just don't do it any more, you scurvy scalawaaggg!""
- 2 one who is playfully mischievous wordnet
- 3 A badly behaved person, especially a child; a mischief-maker; a rascal. informal
"“This ruckus never seems to end.” (Colin laughing) “He's very loud, and unlike us, he does not sleep during the day.” “Nor does he sleep during the night.” “When does he sleep?” “I don't think he does.” (glass breaks) “Never a dull moment with that scalawag.” “I'm pretty sure he must be part demon.” “Nonsense. He's all boy.”"
- 4 a deceitful and unreliable scoundrel wordnet
- 5 A scrawny cow. archaic, derogatory
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 a white Southerner who supported Reconstruction policies after the American Civil War (usually for self-interest) wordnet
- 7 Any white Southerner who supported the federal plan of Reconstruction after the American Civil War or who joined with the black freedmen and the carpetbaggers in support of Republican Party policies. US, archaic, derogatory, historical
"“And you, Hugh Elsing, I’m ashamed of you! What will your poor mother say? Drunk and out with a—a Yankee-loving Scallawag like Captain Butler![…]”"
- 8 rogue police; rogue military personnel Philippines
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Calvin: "I'm very very sorry that I took your precious flaaggg!" Hobbes: "Just don't do it any more, you scurvy scalawaaggg!""
Common questions
What is a synonym for "scalawag"?
Common synonyms include: rascal, rogue, balker, balky horse, bastard, blackguard.
How do you use "scalawag" in a sentence?
Calvin: "I'm very very sorry that I took your precious flaaggg!" Hobbes: "Just don't do it any more, you scurvy scalawaaggg!"
Etymology
Of obscure origin, perhaps from the name of the Shetland village of Scalloway (from Old Norse Skálavágr), known for its dwarf ponies and dwarf cattle.