Meaning & use
scalawag
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Meanings
nouncountableold-fashionedhumorous
A mischievous or untrustworthy person, often described in a teasing way rather than a truly angry one.
Grammar: Counted like any person noun: a scalawag, a couple of scalawags; often used with a jokey tone.
Patterns
- a little scalawag
- an old scalawag
That little scalawag hid my keys again and is laughing about it.
The old scalawag talked his way out of paying for dinner.
Grandpa called the boys a pair of scalawags when they sneaked cookies.
nouncountableoffensiveAmerican
In US history, a white Southerner who supported the federal government and Reconstruction after the Civil War, a label used as an insult by opponents.
Grammar: A historical term, usually plural and discussed in history lessons.
Patterns
- carpetbaggers and scalawags
Historians note that opponents called Southern Republicans scalawags.
In the textbook, scalawags are described alongside carpetbaggers.
The term scalawag was meant as an insult at the time.
Word forms
| plural | scalawags |
|---|
Common combinations
- lovable scalawag
- The dog is a lovable scalawag who steals socks.
- old scalawag
- The old scalawag winked and walked off with the last pie.
- little scalawag
- You little scalawag, you ate all the cookies.
- carpetbaggers and scalawags
- The chapter on Reconstruction covers carpetbaggers and scalawags.
Synonyms and how they differ
- rascal
- Rascal is the most common playful word and is gentler than scalawag, which has a slightly old-fashioned, rural flavor.
- rogue
- Rogue suggests more serious dishonesty, often with a hint of charm, while scalawag is lighter.
- scamp
- Scamp is mainly for naughty children and feels even more affectionate than scalawag.
- scoundrel
- Scoundrel is genuinely critical and describes someone dishonest, while scalawag is often teasing.
Opposites
Word family
- scallywag noun
- the British spelling variant of scalawag
- scalawaggery noun
- mischievous or rascally behavior (rare)
Commonly confused: scalawag or scallywag?
scalawag vs scallywag
Scallywag is the usual British spelling of the same word, so the two are not different words.
Practice
A grandfather calls his grandson a 'little scalawag' for hiding his glasses. What does he mean?
Choose one answer.
Scalawag is a teasing word for a mischievous person. It does not describe health, tidiness or cooking.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “scalawag”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.