bad boy

noun

: a person who flouts convention
a literary bad boy

Examples of bad boy in a Sentence

He has become known as the bad boy of the American television industry.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
These bad boys are the new in-demand stage prop at concerts, with more and more musicians incorporating the piece of furniture into their set — from Lily Allen to Charli XCX to Hilary Duff. — Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 24 July 2026 Keith, who was the baddest of bad boys, turned out to be the most romantic of the Stones. — Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 12 July 2026 The book follows the relationship between Canadian sweetheart Shane Hollander and Russian bad boy Ilya Rosanov. — Janey Wetzel, PEOPLE, 30 June 2026 After starring as Aquaman for the previous DC regime, Jason Momoa joins Alcock as comics bad boy Lobo. — Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for bad boy

Word History

First Known Use

1860, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bad boy was in 1860

Rhymes for bad boy

See All Rhymes for bad boy

Browse Nearby Words

bad books
bad boy
bad breath
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bad boy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bad%20boy. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

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