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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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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as in badly
in an unsatisfactory way
you didn't do too bad on the treadmill test
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as in wrong
that which is morally unacceptable
there's bad and good in people of every race and nationality
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as in sinfulness
the state or quality of being utterly evil
the villain's complete badness made him a good foil for the unfailingly virtuous hero
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of bad
Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Mar. 2026
Apparently, being White is a bad thing, and some say the Bard was really a Black woman.
—Simon Constable, FOXNews.com, 22 Mar. 2026
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
Mellissa Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2023
Good drama is the choice between two bads.
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 23 Mar. 2023
Barbara Ellis, Denver Post, 15 Jan. 2026
The show premiered over Thanksgiving weekend, when people were tired and full and bored (and probably also horny), and countered our world’s unceasing badness with its world’s buoyant sweetness.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bad
Adjective
The Saturday launch attempt scrubbed under a minute before liftoff because of bad weather in the booster recovery area.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Mar. 2026
Apparently, being White is a bad thing, and some say the Bard was really a Black woman.
—Simon Constable, FOXNews.com, 22 Mar. 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
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
Noun
On one side, a satanic figure named Randall Flagg who gathers his forces of badness to Las Vegas; on the other, the good guys, led by 108-year-old Mother Abigail in, of all places, Boulder.
—Barbara Ellis, Denver Post, 15 Jan. 2026
The show premiered over Thanksgiving weekend, when people were tired and full and bored (and probably also horny), and countered our world’s unceasing badness with its world’s buoyant sweetness.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bad
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bad
Adjective
-
The takeover will continue until the district meets criteria set by the Texas Education Agency, which include exceeding the state and/or regional average for meeting-grade-level proficiency in reading and math, and ensuring the district has no schools unacceptable ratings for multiple years.—
Lina Ruiz,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Mar. 2026
-
To have to come and be in this particular bracket every freaking year is unacceptable.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
After tracking it down almost two decades later, Prince Adam is whisked back across space to defend his home planet against the evil forces of Skeletor.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Black is reprising his role as the sassy, if evil, Bowser in the sequel.—
Amaris Encinas,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Giamanco said the Civil Liability for Doxing Act protects a citizen from being deliberately targeted with false and harmful material.—
Michelle Mullins,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Attorneys for Meta dispute the claims and say the company incorporates protections for teenagers and weeds out harmful content, while also acknowledging that some potentially harmful posts get past its safety nets.—
Morgan Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Mar. 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
-
One of the saddest bits of it, actually!—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Sister Jean would pass away at age 106 this past October, a sad metaphor for the fate of Cinderella.—
Greg Cote
Updated March 23,
Miami Herald,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
But Tesla’s Cybertruck is the main focus of the suit filed in Alameda County Superior Court, which accuses the company of selling vehicles with a dangerous, defective design while knowing the risk of serious injuries and death.—
Rachel Swan,
San Francisco Chronicle,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Second, many of the condos built in the 2000s became embroiled in lengthy litigation over concerns about defective construction.—
M. Nolan Gray,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Something smells rotten in Denmark — that is, Tallahassee.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Mar. 2026
-
The exoplanet's atmosphere contains gases like water, sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide -- which can smell like rotten eggs, especially when burned.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Yet insects may also be attracted to scents unpleasant to us as several notable plant species instruct.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
21 Mar. 2026
-
And a condition in which people experience unpleasant skin sensations such as burning, stabbing or a feeling like an electrical shock occurred in about 23% of those taking the higher dose of Wegovy versus 6% of those taking the lower dose and less than 1% in people who received a placebo.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bad.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bad. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
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