1
as in unacceptable
falling short of a standard
a bad first attempt at making meat loaf resulted in a soggy, inedible mess
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in evil
not conforming to a high moral standard; morally unacceptable
stealing is just plain bad
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3
as in harmful
causing or capable of causing harm
sitting too close to the television is said to be bad for the eyes
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4
as in naughty
engaging in or marked by childish misbehavior
the children were bad, so they didn't get dessert
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5
as in sad
feeling unhappiness
hearing about the world's miseries always makes him feel bad
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6
as in defective
having a fault
a bad video connection that is causing some picture loss
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7
as in rotten
having undergone organic breakdown
I think the milk has turned bad
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8
as in unpleasant
not giving pleasure to the mind or senses
the air in the damp basement had a very bad smell
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9
as in terrible
of low quality
bad shoes that fell apart within a week
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10
as in poorly
temporarily suffering from a disorder of the body
I've been feeling bad all week with this cold
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11
as in null
having no legal or binding force
all known claims on the property were dismissed by the court as bad
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12
as in malicious
slang
having or showing a desire to cause someone pain or suffering for the sheer enjoyment of it
with all of his tattoos and piercings, that skinhead looks like one really bad dude
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as in badly
in an unsatisfactory way
you didn't do too bad on the treadmill test
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as in wrong
that which is morally unacceptable
there's bad and good in people of every race and nationality
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of bad
Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Sep. 2025
At the end, obviously, things on paper have never been worse for Jake.
—Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2025
Tristan Bove, Fortune, 11 Nov. 2022
However, employees can’t be completely reckless on social media, making untrue or maliciously disparaging statements, or bad-mouthing their employer with broad-stroke commentary.
—Johnny C. Taylor Jr., USA TODAY, 8 Nov. 2022
Mellissa Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2023
Good drama is the choice between two bads.
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 23 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for bad
Adjective
Championship leader Oscar Piastri crashed in qualifying and will start in ninth, his worst starting position of the season, while Charles Leclerc starts 10th.
—Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Sep. 2025
At the end, obviously, things on paper have never been worse for Jake.
—Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2025
Adverb
After an online Twitter feud where CZ accused SBF of allegedly bad-mouthing him to regulators, the Binance CEO announced on Sunday the company would be dumping all of its holdings of FTT, a token used by FTX customers.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 11 Nov. 2022
However, employees can’t be completely reckless on social media, making untrue or maliciously disparaging statements, or bad-mouthing their employer with broad-stroke commentary.
—Johnny C. Taylor Jr., USA TODAY, 8 Nov. 2022
Noun
Despite the obvious bad, there was undeniable good.
—Mellissa Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2023
Good drama is the choice between two bads.
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 23 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for bad
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bad
Adjective
-
Republicans view the proposal as unacceptable.—
Jared Gans,
The Hill,
18 Sep. 2025
-
But with the massive sums of money businesses are putting into CX, a lack of improvement should be seen as unacceptable.—
Tomas Gorny,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Maybe evil is a spiritual substance in and of itself.—
Rivka Galchen,
New Yorker,
21 Sep. 2025
-
Kang drew inspiration from gut, traditional Korean folk dancers who performed rituals to protect communities from demons and evil spirits.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
20 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
This vaporized the harmful metals in the red mud, and left behind a purified compound rich in aluminum.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
17 Sep. 2025
-
No one has gotten sick, but lead can be harmful to young children’s development.—
DeVonne Goode,
Parents,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
He's since been taught that's the naughty finger.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Sep. 2025
-
Burnt out and fed up with her untameable class of 10-year-olds, Maria tussles with an increasingly naughty student, Danny (played wonderfully by young newcomer Eddie Waller), and makes a rash decision to keep him captive in her basement.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
As Malcolm and Henry prepare to return home, they are met with the sad news that Isaac Grant (Brian McCardie) has died, throwing Malcolm into a new leadership position.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 Sep. 2025
-
Happy for her but selfishly sad.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Car accidents are statistically more common than encountering a defective medical device.—
Matt Lowe,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
-
However, there is consumer protection for defective merchandise or an improper charge.—
Mary Luquette,
USA Today,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The truck driver abruptly stopped, causing rotten melons and other fruit to catapult from it.—
Bebe Hodges,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Look for rotten or bruised areas on the fruits or vegetables and remove them before cutting or cooking.—
Cristina Mutchler,
Verywell Health,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Just the prospect of interacting with that person can be unpleasant or feel draining.—
Josh Davis,
Fortune,
17 Sep. 2025
-
One unpleasant but necessary aspect of board service is disciplinary action against unneighborly behavior by members.—
Kelly G. Richardson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bad.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bad. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.
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