: 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.
Examples of the bad in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 12 Jan. 2026
Weir also never succumbed to the bad habits of many of his bandmates, or at least never so deeply.
—David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 12 Jan. 2026
Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 30 May 2026
The last two-and-a-half weeks, the good old days have been now.
—Mike Lupica, New York Daily News, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for the bad
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Noun
Featuring the good, the bad and the ugly, ‘Look of the Week’ is a regular series dedicated to unpacking the most talked about outfit of the last seven days.
—Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 12 Jan. 2026
Weir also never succumbed to the bad habits of many of his bandmates, or at least never so deeply.
—David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 12 Jan. 2026
Noun
The Sheep Detectives had the good sense to revolve around sheep.
—Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 30 May 2026
The last two-and-a-half weeks, the good old days have been now.
—Mike Lupica, New York Daily News, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for the bad
Cite this Entry
“The bad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20bad. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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