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.
The film is a high school rom-com about a bad boy and a type-A overachiever teaming up to win student body president — and maybe each other. Matt Grobar, Deadline, 12 May 2025 Hetty remarks to Alberta that Pete has, surprisingly, become something of a bad boy. Vlada Gelman, TVLine, 24 Apr. 2025 Meanwhile, the rebellious young Jim Hopper, the son of the town police chief, can’t seem to do anything right; the spunky Joyce Maldonado just wants to graduate and leave town, stat (but still has a thing for bad boys); and the tech nerd Bob is hopelessly in love with her. Sarah Bahr, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025 The Florida Panthers are not only the resident bad boys of the National Hockey League but also the defending Stanley Cup champions. Josh Yohe, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bad boy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bad%20boy. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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