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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in rotten
having undergone organic breakdown
I think the milk has turned bad
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in badly
in an unsatisfactory way
you didn't do too bad on the treadmill test
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in wrong
that which is morally unacceptable
there's bad and good in people of every race and nationality
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of bad
Oc Register, 6 Apr. 2026
The Kings, who had won their previous two games, remained in a tie with Utah for the fourth-worst record in the NBA at 21-58 with three games left.
—CBS News, 6 Apr. 2026
Judy Berman, Time, 21 Jan. 2026
Pull leftovers that still need to be eaten to the front, along with any foods that are going to go bad soon.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Nov. 2025
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
The Kings, who have struggled with injury issues this season but have gone 7-8 since March 8, remained in a tie with Utah for the fourth-worst record in the NBA with three games left.
—Oc Register, 6 Apr. 2026
The Kings, who had won their previous two games, remained in a tie with Utah for the fourth-worst record in the NBA at 21-58 with three games left.
—CBS News, 6 Apr. 2026
Adverb
The dialogue sometimes lapses from bad-funny to just bad.
—Judy Berman, Time, 21 Jan. 2026
Pull leftovers that still need to be eaten to the front, along with any foods that are going to go bad soon.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Nov. 2025
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
-
Killing dogs in the street became increasingly unacceptable, and rabies vaccines became available.—
Rachel Sugar,
Curbed,
8 Apr. 2026
-
To Hafley, that’s unacceptable.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
There's very few probably as evil as Marsha Allen and Ashley Jones.—
Peter Van Sant,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The earliest Greek philosophers focused their attention upon the origin and nature of the physical world; later philosophers have theorized about the nature of knowledge, truth, good and evil, love, friendship, and much more.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
This week, California regulators are taking a critical look at one of the state’s most harmful laws.—
Tom Manzo,
Oc Register,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Awareness, not alarm, is a powerful tool for families navigating online spaces where harmful language and intent are often hidden in plain sight.—
Sharlette A. Kellum,
The Conversation,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The home needed to display her naughty sense of humor too.—
Julie Vadnal,
Architectural Digest,
18 Mar. 2026
-
These plays are often brilliant, and even lesser variants are fun to watch, because piñata-whacking itself is a naughty thrill, a cathartic fantasy for anyone with a family and/or a secret.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
There were enough people in the room who were sad about the kid.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
2 Apr. 2026
-
And that’s really sad, because the latest gen is a genuinely fantastic car.—
Adam Ismail,
The Drive,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
And a cohort of American consumers, siding with the plaintiff, determined that the platforms are defective products, distributed to the public without proper safeguards or warnings about their potential harms.—
Maggie Harrison Dupré,
Futurism,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Her lawyers argued that the apps should be seen as defective products that contributed to Kaley's mental health struggles.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
And that kind of movie almost always tastes rotten — no matter how long it’s been sitting in theaters.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
31 Mar. 2026
-
He was forced to eat cat litter, cat feces, urine, vomit and rotten spinach, according to court documents.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The response from me is very unpleasant, and then my husband gets all uncomfortable.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Finally, a carbon filter is used to eliminate odors such as ammonia, cigarette smoke, hydrogen sulfide, and other pollutants that emit unpleasant smells.—
John R. Delaney,
PC Magazine,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bad.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bad. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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