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
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 12 Apr. 2026
Entering Friday, the Mariners ranked second-worst in MLB in runs per game and strikeouts, and last in batting average, on-base percentage and total bases.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 12 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
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
As working gigs for 22-year-old music critics go, that isn’t bad.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 12 Apr. 2026
Entering Friday, the Mariners ranked second-worst in MLB in runs per game and strikeouts, and last in batting average, on-base percentage and total bases.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 12 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
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
-
Clearly, those are unacceptable results.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Trump, back in Washington, told the New York Post that even the deal Vance brought was unacceptable.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Besides, anyone who doesn’t agree with the left is said to be evil, so anything progressives do to destroy, or at least restrain that evil, is justified.—
Chris Roemer,
Baltimore Sun,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Fifteen years later, her sister Merry faces her family’s dark past with a journalist uncovering the nature of the evil force that undid them.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The new safety measures come after a barrage of lawsuits from families alleging the platform doesn't do enough to shield children from harmful content and communication with older users.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Vaccines can train your immune system to recognize and fight harmful germs.—
Sukhman Rekhi,
Verywell Health,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The jokes — good, bad and cheap — come non-stop in then show’s 90 minutes, and are filled and sometimes pummeled with pop culture and brand-name references, puns, anachronistic humor, and naughty bits.—
Frank Rizzo,
Variety,
13 Apr. 2026
-
The home needed to display her naughty sense of humor too.—
Julie Vadnal,
Architectural Digest,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
All our thoughts are with his family and loved ones at this incredibly sad time.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Apr. 2026
-
That was very sad that Soft Cell’s Dave Ball died at just 66.—
Pat Saperstein,
Variety,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But while some looked for the gene, Welsh studied the structure and inner workings of defective CF cells using salt as a guide star.—
Courtney Crowder,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Chargers that are damaged, defective, swollen or recalled are also still prohibited.—
Matthew Ablon,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Facing eviction, this next generation of ‘rotten’ kids plot to break into the factory, nab a priceless Wonka Bar, and save their homes.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Hamlet reminds us that things are rotten not just in the state of Denmark but just about everywhere.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
To avoid unpleasant digestive side effects, start by adding 1 tablespoon (or less) to your recipes.—
Kirsten Nunez,
Martha Stewart,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Dahl’s books are fanciful and imaginative, but also dark, cynical, and mean (and, unfortunately, often reflected his real-life ugliness), spinning stories in which gruesome and unpleasant fates befell rotten kids, and adults were frequently selfish, cruel, and not to be trusted.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bad.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bad. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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