1
chiefly US, informal + sometimes impolite
: ready to cause or get into trouble : mean
a badass criminal who should be put away for life
… casting Henry Fonda against type as a remorseless badass gunslinger …—
Laurence Phelan
Laurence Phelan2
chiefly US, informal + sometimes impolite
: of formidable strength or skill
… such a badass guitar player …—N'Gai Croal
N'Gai Croal
chiefly US, informal + sometimes impolite
: a person who is badass
Examples of badass in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 4 Dec. 2025
Jawan switched up his response this time, nodding in the affirmative while looking semi-pleased with his badass self.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Nov. 2025
And that’s with a badass winter storm during its second weekend.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 26 Nov. 2025
Kylie makes a badass green bean casserole.
—Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 21 Nov. 2025
Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi also tackles two characters with commanding rage and badass physicality.
—James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
And selfishly, getting to be the badass final girl, covered in blood and kicking ass, is a dream role.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 2 Nov. 2025
For us, the badass women can be in front of the camera, behind the camera, the subject of the story.
—Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 30 Oct. 2025
Here’s a lesson in how to take a car from badass to bad taste.
—Sean Evans, Robb Report, 14 Oct. 2025
Ew Staff December 2, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Dec. 2025
Jango Fett may have been taken away from us far, far too soon, but now Lego-loving Star Wars fans can memorialize this bounty-hunting badass, father of Boba Fett, with this Lego Star Wars Jango Fett helmet.
—Chris McMullen, Space.com, 27 Nov. 2025
And that’s with a badass winter storm during its second weekend.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 26 Nov. 2025
And Jessica turns out to be a genuine badass, using her athletic skills to leap across buildings and holding her own in a battle with a female opponent armed with a sword.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 20 Nov. 2025
There’s always something really cool to me about the badass with the sidekick.
—Adam B. Vary, Variety, 10 Nov. 2025
And each approached the figure of the gun-toting, knife-wielding badass from her own point of view, creating archetypes that are still in use today.
—Katie Rife, IndieWire, 20 Aug. 2025
The blood and visceral imagery plays an important role of not only setting the oppressive tone, but also in establishing your character as an absolute badass.
—David Jagneaux, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
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Adjective
The other is smart, chic, badass, fantastic shoes.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 4 Dec. 2025
Jawan switched up his response this time, nodding in the affirmative while looking semi-pleased with his badass self.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Nov. 2025
And that’s with a badass winter storm during its second weekend.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 26 Nov. 2025
Kylie makes a badass green bean casserole.
—Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 21 Nov. 2025
Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi also tackles two characters with commanding rage and badass physicality.
—James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
And selfishly, getting to be the badass final girl, covered in blood and kicking ass, is a dream role.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 2 Nov. 2025
For us, the badass women can be in front of the camera, behind the camera, the subject of the story.
—Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 30 Oct. 2025
Here’s a lesson in how to take a car from badass to bad taste.
—Sean Evans, Robb Report, 14 Oct. 2025
Noun
John Proctor is the Villain Arthur Miller’s The Crucible received a modern-day update courtesy of a group of badass, Lorde-loving highschoolers in Kimberly Belflower’s unforgettable John Proctor is the Villain.
—Ew Staff December 2, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Dec. 2025
Jango Fett may have been taken away from us far, far too soon, but now Lego-loving Star Wars fans can memorialize this bounty-hunting badass, father of Boba Fett, with this Lego Star Wars Jango Fett helmet.
—Chris McMullen, Space.com, 27 Nov. 2025
And that’s with a badass winter storm during its second weekend.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 26 Nov. 2025
And Jessica turns out to be a genuine badass, using her athletic skills to leap across buildings and holding her own in a battle with a female opponent armed with a sword.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 20 Nov. 2025
There’s always something really cool to me about the badass with the sidekick.
—Adam B. Vary, Variety, 10 Nov. 2025
And each approached the figure of the gun-toting, knife-wielding badass from her own point of view, creating archetypes that are still in use today.
—Katie Rife, IndieWire, 20 Aug. 2025
The blood and visceral imagery plays an important role of not only setting the oppressive tone, but also in establishing your character as an absolute badass.
—David Jagneaux, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Badass.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/badass. Accessed 14 Dec. 2025.
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