rogue

American  

[rohg] / roʊg /

adjective

1. no longer obedient, belonging, or accepted and hence not controllable or answerable; renegade.

   They described him as a rogue cop who had abandoned his training.

2. dangerous and unpredictable.

   They were trapped in the house by a rogue snowstorm.

3. of or noting a nation or state that defies international treaties, laws, etc..

   The blame is placed on rogue states that threaten world peace.

4. (of an animal) having an abnormally violent or unpredictable disposition.

   She helped trap a rogue tiger terrorizing the village.

---

noun

1. a dishonest, untrustworthy person; scoundrel.

   We were traveling in secret to avoid running into rogues and thieves.

   Synonyms:

   quack, mountebank, cheat, swindler, trickster, villain

2. a playfully mischievous person; scamp.

   The youngest boys are little rogues.

3. Archaic. a tramp or vagabond.

4. an animal having an abnormally violent or unpredictable disposition.

5. Biology. a usually inferior organism, especially a plant, varying markedly from the normal.

verb (used with object)

rogued, roguing

1. 1. to uproot or destroy (plants that do not conform to a desired standard).

      Usually, roguing the diseased plants is sufficient to minimize further spread.

   2. to perform this operation upon.

      to rogue a field.

2. to cheat.

verb (used without object)

rogued, roguing

1. to live or act as a scoundrel, vagabond, or scamp.

idioms

1. go rogue, to stop being obedient or predictable; to behave in a way that is not allowed or expected.

   Giving people the tools they need to do their jobs greatly reduces the risk of employees going rogue and using unauthorized services.

   To make more money, the agent went rogue and sold his services to the highest bidder.

rogue British  

/ rəʊɡ /

noun

1. a dishonest or unprincipled person, esp a man; rascal; scoundrel

2. humorous a mischievous or wayward person, often a child; scamp

3. a crop plant which is inferior, diseased, or of a different, unwanted variety

4. 1. any inferior or defective specimen

   2. ( as modifier )

      rogue heroin

5. archaic a vagrant

6. 1. an animal of vicious character that has separated from the main herd and leads a solitary life

   2. ( as modifier )

      a rogue elephant

---

verb

1. 1. (tr) to rid (a field or crop) of plants that are inferior, diseased, or of an unwanted variety

   2. to identify and remove such plants

Related Words

See knave.

Other Word Forms

• outrogue verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of rogue

First recorded in 1555–65; origin uncertain, apparently short for obsolete roger “begging vagabond,” originally thieves' jargon

Explanation

A rogue is a sneaky person who has tricks up his sleeve, not like a magician, but like someone who would steal your wallet or cheat at cards. Dishonesty won’t get you far in life, unless you are a rogue who survives by lying and exploiting others. The word comes from the Latin rogare, which means “beg,” and while some rogues dress like beggars to get your money, anyone who deceives is a rogue, like the presidents of corrupt corporations who steal from their employees, or that rogue Uncle Marvin who promises you chocolate for washing his car, but afterward tells you he has no chocolate. That rogue!

Example Sentences

The bases were built without Copenhagen’s official consent but with the help of a rogue Danish diplomat.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

“Today’s decision by the California Supreme Court reins in the destabilizing actions of a rogue sheriff, prohibiting him from continuing this investigation while our litigation continues,” Bonta said in a prepared statement.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

It has previously highlighted the removal of more than 1,500 rogue officers and staff since 2022 and work such as the V100 project, which uses data to target the most dangerous predators.

From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026

When agents go rogue, they can tamper with or delete valuable files.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026

The plot was interesting, at least, about a rogue treasure hunter with a Talent for changing his face—a chameleon, he was called.

From "A Tangle of Knots" by Lisa Graff

Related Words

• con artist
• crook
• rascal
• swindler
• villain