Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Dissatisfied with existing conditions.
  • noun A chronically dissatisfied person.
  • noun One who rebels against the established system.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Dissatisfied; discontented; especially, dissatisfied or discontented with the existing order of things, as with the constitution of society, or the administration of government.
  • noun A discontented person; specifically, a discontented subject of government; one who murmurs at the laws and administration, or who manifests his dissatisfaction by overt acts, as in sedition or insurrection.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun One who discontented; especially, a discontented subject of a government; one who expresses his discontent by words or overt acts.
  • adjective discontented; uneasy; dissatisfied; especially, dissatisfied with the government.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective dissatisfied with current conditions; discontented
  • noun a person who is not satisfied with current conditions; a discontented person

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective discontented as toward authority
  • noun a person who is discontented or disgusted

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

mal- +‎ content

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Examples

  • It was joy, my little malcontent is growing up to be a "prop-a hate-a"!

    POLL RESULTS: Mr. Smith Goes to Hollywood 2007

  • JohnDewey: I think you're possibly assuming a bunch of other things about the malcontents that aren't necessarily justified i.e. that their malcontent is a personality trait, rather than a result of situational factors.

    More Unhappiness, Arnold Kling | EconLog | Library of Economics and Liberty 2009

  • But to a growing legend of spectators, he's simply becoming known as the malcontent's best friend.

    Edmonton Sun 2010

  • BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, if Matthew Hoh was some kind of malcontent or incompetent, this would not be the story that it is.

    CNN Transcript Oct 27, 2009 2009

  • Now, if Matthew Hoh were some kind of malcontent or incompetent, this would not be the news story that it is.

    CNN Transcript Oct 27, 2009 2009

  • Mr Starmer's intervention prompted strong criticism from David Green, the director of the think tank Civitas, who said: "The Human Rights Act is so vague that it has opened up opportunities for every kind of malcontent who thinks there might be money or other advantage to be gained from legal confrontation, often encouraged by no-win-no-fee lawyers."

    Telegraph.co.uk: news business sport the Daily Telegraph newspaper Sunday Telegraph 2009

  • Schlachter was quick to dismiss being labeled a "malcontent".

    Toledo Newspaper Toledo Free Press Staff Writers 2009

  • 'Somebody Ended Up Ratting Me Out': Miley's Naughty-Photo Hacker Speaks In a sneak attack befitting the kind of malcontent who would dare despoil Miley Cyrus's e-mail account and posted scandalously skin-baring, kiss-blowing,

    Gawker 2009

  • Fair Add. you all are getting upset over this ad; however no one voiced this kind of malcontent when sen. mc cain called obama "that one"; which is and always has been seen as a derogatory slant at minorities … … suck it up.

    Top Stories - Google News 2008

  • In a sneak attack befitting the kind of malcontent who would dare despoil

    Gawker: Defamer 2008

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