: the unpleasant things that happen to people
You have to take the good with the bad.
1
: the pleasant things that happen to people
You have to take the good with the bad.
2
: things that are morally proper or correct
Parents must teach their children the difference between the good and the bad.
3
: morally good people
She believes that the good go to heaven when they die and the bad go to hell.
4
: the part of someone that is kind, honest, generous, helpful, etc.
They cherished the good in him, overlooking the bad.
Cite this Entry
“The bad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20bad. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.
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