bad 1 of 3

adjective

ˈbad How to pronounce bad (audio)
Definition of badnext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in naughty
engaging in or marked by childish misbehavior the children were bad, so they didn't get dessert

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in sad
feeling unhappiness hearing about the world's miseries always makes him feel bad

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
9
as in terrible
of low quality bad shoes that fell apart within a week

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
11
as in null
having no legal or binding force all known claims on the property were dismissed by the court as bad

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

bad

2 of 3

adverb

as in badly
in an unsatisfactory way you didn't do too bad on the treadmill test

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

bad

3 of 3

noun

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 show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bad
Adjective
Several budget hawks and conservative economists are already balking at the idea – a bad sign when just a few Republicans in either chamber can, until the voting margins change, tank pretty much any measure. — Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026 There are so many other people out there, their cancer was a lot worse or who are going through a lot worse things than me. — Ryan Gaydos Outkick, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Adverb
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 This can make your water smell bad, affect the taste, and could lead to illness. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 18 Nov. 2025
Noun
In times when the city's bad seems to overshadow the good, Daniels and others like him can be a guidepost for generations to come. — Sophia Tiedge, jsonline.com, 11 Sep. 2025 While working together on The Unit, David Mamet once told you that good drama isn’t a choice between good and bad; good drama is the choice between two bads. — Max Gao, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bad
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bad
  1. unacceptable
  2. evil
  3. harmful
  4. naughty
  5. sad
  6. defective
  7. rotten
  8. unpleasant
Adjective
  • That’s an unacceptable delay for units in active combat operations.
    — Nir Goldstein, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The algorithm is designed to prevent planners from choosing a technically suitable location that may be unacceptable to the people living or working nearby.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of unacceptable
Adjective
  • The event cast Democrats as too left wing, describing them as communists, anti-American or even evil.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Reuniting Bullock and Kidman as Sally and Gillian Owens, the dark fantasy rom-com catches up with the sisters 28 years after their last face-off with evil forces.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of evil
Adjective
  • These ads seem to violate federal child pornography laws, since the Justice Department has clarified that AI CSAM is just as harmful as CSAM.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Long-term inflammation in the body can be harmful to your overall health.
    — Sunny Sea Gold, HEALTH, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of harmful
Adjective
  • Romantic, criminal and naughty hijinks ensue and bonds are tested — and ultimately reinforced.
    — Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Queen Elizabeth—long known as a lover of horses—was a frequent recipient of the pony’s naughty side, like in 2017, when Corporal Cruachan attempted to take a bite of the flowers the queen was holding during a visit to Stirling Castle.
    — Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of naughty
Adjective
  • For all of the franchise’s misadventures, the Mets — led by ones who were there for that sad September in 2001 — get this right.
    — Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Let’s return, then, to La Quinta, and the saddest pizza party imaginable.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of sad
Adjective
  • If an agent drafts a defective indemnity clause or cites a case that does not exist, no software company appears in court to answer for it.
    — Charles Lew, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Caused by a defective gene for an enzyme that breaks down the carbohydrate heparan sulfate, it is characterized by a buildup of toxic material in tissues, including brain cells.
    — Mike McRae August 26, New Atlas, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of defective
Adjective
  • Being pelted on the world’s stage with the modern equivalent of rotten tomatoes – memes and scathing online posts – hasn't kept the dancer, born Rachael Gunn, from laughing.
    — Erin Jensen, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • His last Netflix partnership, the miniseries Zero Day, put up rotten scores.
    — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of rotten
Adjective
  • There was a lot of work on the medical cases to make the investigations complex and realistic, but there was also an entry point built around a strong, funny, unpleasant character, completely at odds with her return to her roots.
    — Roberto Prieto, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Are those seats empty for a neutral reason or an unpleasant reason?
    — Bruce Handy, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of unpleasant

Phrases Containing bad

Browse Nearby Words

backyards
bad
bad blood
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bad.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bad. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of shofar

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
funny guinea pig in glasses reading a book
Challenging Words You Should Know Vol 2 Words to the wise
See All