bad boy

noun

plural bad boys

1

: a person who flouts convention

a literary bad boy

The band always has reveled in its reputation as the bad boys of rock, something that undoubtedly has kept them going for seven decades.

—Mike Patterson

2

informal : something that is very good, impressive, effective, etc.

However, it's possible to pair two of these speakers for a superwide stereo soundstage. If you happen to have the budget and acreage (and amenable neighbors), you can even wirelessly connect up to 30 of these bad boys.

—Scott Tharler

Two or three of these bad boys covered with onions and cilantro … will set me up until dinner …

—Hannah Wilson, quoted at Axios

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

The recruits are rounded out by Jude Callan (Ronen Rubinstein), a charming, cocky bad boy with unexpected depth. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 25 Sep. 2026

One of two lead characters in the Joffrey Ballet’s season opener, Julie (on Thursday, danced by prima ballerina Victoria Jaiani) falls for a bad boy and is left to deal with the consequences. — Lauren Warnecke, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026

For best results, pair the below bad boys with a specialized orthotic insert that will further amplify your podiatric bliss. — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2026

Yup, these bad boys are stretchy through and through, complete with an elastic waistband, yet somehow still look genuinely polished. — Annie Blackman, InStyle, 3 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1860, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for bad boy

• ahoy
• alloy
• annoy
• carboy
• convoy
• cowboy
• decoy
• deploy
• destroy
• employ
• employe
• enjoy