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

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2
as in evil
not conforming to a high moral standard; morally unacceptable stealing is just plain bad

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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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7
as in rotten
having undergone organic breakdown I think the milk has turned bad

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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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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

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bad

2 of 3

adverb

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

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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

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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
Choosing a Location for Solar Eclipse Photography Since 2008, teams directed by Habbal and Druckmüller have traveled to every total solar eclipse, spreading out across multiple locations to hedge against bad weather. — IEEE Spectrum, 5 Nov. 2026 Yes, there are a number of online lenders that specialize in borrowers with bad credit, including OneMain Financial and Avant. — Dan Avery,jasmin Suknanan, CNBC, 5 Nov. 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
  • William James Middle received its fifth unacceptable rating in a row in the 2025-26 school year.
    — Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Not going for it on 4th down, and then settling for a field goal attempt with a 3 point lead is unacceptable!
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of unacceptable
Adjective
  • One of the guests chuckles with evil delight when Kerry confirms that someone got in trouble.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Vallow Daybell holds doomsday religious beliefs and has claimed that people in her life were possessed by evil spirits.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of evil
Adjective
  • If our minds are constantly running at full throttle, potentially harmful molecules might keep piling up faster than the brain can dispose of them.
    — Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Earth's ozone layer acts as a planetary sunscreen, shielding humans, animals, and plants from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
    — Dan Peck, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of harmful
Adjective
  • But when Santa fails to show up at their house to back them up, Mark and Daryl are forced to go in by themselves in the hopes of rescuing Julie and Bobby before the Kringles put the entire Severson family permanently on the naughty list.
    — Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The Kansas locations do not serve naughty flavors, but the Riverfront location will.
    — Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of naughty
Adjective
  • Anyway, this Jive is unfortunately lacking in both energy and sharp footwork and is generally kind of sad, but Maura and Mark still manage to get 8s.
    — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2026
  • The company’s intention is probably to leverage nostalgia to build hype for Nintendo’s big launch, but there’s also something a little sad about this.
    — Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of sad
Adjective
  • Some of those who worry that LTC products are somehow complex or defective and thus cannot meet their needs may understand very little about these new products.
    — David Chavern, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Neither of these defective filings provides a basis on which the Court could give its approval.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of defective
Adjective
  • Over the last decade, local government warehouses meant to store emergency food supplies have been found empty or filled with rotten supplies, largely because of corruption.
    — JOEL WUTHNOW, Foreign Affairs, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Since January 2023, the South Coast Air Quality Management District has received more than 28,000 complaints, many of which describe the foul smell as rotten, putrid and stomach-churning.
    — Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of rotten
Adjective
  • George is being extremely unpleasant toward everyone and seems to be moving toward a breakdown.
    — Alice Burton, Vulture, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Consumers across the country have described to CBS California Investigates, and in hundreds of online reviews, their unpleasant experiences at the stores, alleging they were pressured to make purchases worth thousands of dollars.
    — Amy Corral, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of unpleasant

Phrases Containing bad

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backyards
bad
bad blood
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Cite this Entry

“Bad.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bad. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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