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
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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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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in rotten
having undergone organic breakdown
I think the milk has turned bad
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of bad
Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2025
Why are Newcastle so bad away from home?
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
Tristan Bove, Fortune, 11 Nov. 2022
However, employees can’t be completely reckless on social media, making untrue or maliciously disparaging statements, or bad-mouthing their employer with broad-stroke commentary.
—Johnny C. Taylor Jr., USA TODAY, 8 Nov. 2022
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 Heat has also finished with one of the NBA’s 10 worst offensive ratings in each of the last three seasons.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2025
Why are Newcastle so bad away from home?
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
Adverb
After an online Twitter feud where CZ accused SBF of allegedly bad-mouthing him to regulators, the Binance CEO announced on Sunday the company would be dumping all of its holdings of FTT, a token used by FTX customers.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 11 Nov. 2022
However, employees can’t be completely reckless on social media, making untrue or maliciously disparaging statements, or bad-mouthing their employer with broad-stroke commentary.
—Johnny C. Taylor Jr., USA TODAY, 8 Nov. 2022
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
-
Denying people the essentials necessary for their survival, to obtain compliance or a political agreement, should be unacceptable.—
Anna Halford,
Time,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Controversy arose earlier this year after residents, a council member and the mayor declared a cooling station set up for homeless residents and others without adequate heating and cooling as unacceptable.—
Rebecca Noel,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
But there are many other threats out there, like the evil wizard Vilgefortz (Mahesh Jadu) who attacks Yennefer’s forces in the climactic Battle of Montecalvo.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Forces of good and evil collide in a terrifying film where real-world challenges crash headlong into other worldly creatures and myths.—
Justin Kroll,
Deadline,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The Quince style is dyed without harmful chemicals, giving the pants a one-of-a-kind look.—
Destinee Scott,
Travel + Leisure,
30 Oct. 2025
-
To Trump, of course, gutting the Civil Rights Act is likely to be a point of pride, enabling the government to focus on more urgent matters, such as protecting white students from the purportedly harmful effects of diversity-equity-and-inclusion programs.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Carpenter’s suggestive travel neck pillow is the hook here — as a reminder, these ShopTV sketches are all about the naughty sight gags and double entendres.—
Andy Hoglund,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Oct. 2025
-
In a viral Reddit post, a naughty cat dipped his paws in pasta sauce turning his fur orange—now the stains won’t go away.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
As Morgan and Sasha chat it up at Noah’s family’s Purim party, a sad-eyed Esther stands off to the side, quietly watching the interaction.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
24 Oct. 2025
-
The footage shows Deiseroth’s demeanor teetering between sad and angry.—
David Goodhue
October 24,
Miami Herald,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Progesterone promotes cell death among defective cells that could turn cancerous.—
Jocelyn Solis-Moreira,
Flow Space,
27 Oct. 2025
-
The family contends that the hotel knew, or should have known, that the property’s water heating system was dangerous and defective, accusing management of failing to inspect and maintain the temperatures.—
Julia Marnin,
Sacbee.com,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Learn how to banish that rotten egg smell from your washer while keeping it fresh, clean, and odor-free.—
Lauren Bengtson,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Oct. 2025
-
But toss everything into a cauldron and the end result is a rotten stew of the Beavers’ own making.—
Jon Wilner,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Garbage disposals can flush away food debris on pots and pans in a flash, but anyone who owns one of these devices knows that unpleasant smells are a regular occurrence.—
Taylor Tobin,
Southern Living,
30 Oct. 2025
-
If potatoes get too cold, the tubers turn black or become mushy, grainy, and unpleasant to eat.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bad.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bad. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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