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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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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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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bad
Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 13 Jan. 2026
So long as a person is willing to subject himself to the abuse of the City, the City will find new and worse ways to abuse him.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2026
Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
That started off bad and got better.
—Vulture, 21 Feb. 2023
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
Roman’s play-calling was conservative at its best Sunday, unimaginative at its worst.
—Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 13 Jan. 2026
So long as a person is willing to subject himself to the abuse of the City, the City will find new and worse ways to abuse him.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2026
Adverb
Remember, too much of a good thing can turn bad quickly!
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
That started off bad and got better.
—Vulture, 21 Feb. 2023
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
-
The European Union’s defense commissioner raised the prospect of a 100-thousand strong European army in a January speech, an idea previously dismissed as unworkable and political unacceptable in the bloc.—
Clare Sebastian,
CNN Money,
22 Jan. 2026
-
For a game as complex and fast-paced as professional football, this lack of year-round preparation is unacceptable.—
Steve Forbes,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Gans could have allowed the hulking, evil character to register as an oppressive, scene-stealing presence, but opts to force Pyramid Head into crowded frames with other monsters who, even at their best designed, frequently detract from the paltry terror and register as annoying visual noise.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Strapped with his Sword of Power, He-Man and his He-pals — Teela (Camila Mendes), Duncan/Man-at-Arms (Idris Elba) and others — are gonna take down the evil Skeletor (Jared Leto).—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
While skepticism toward artificial intelligence is understandable, dismissing AI as inherently harmful overlooks both history and reality.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Regulators will examine whether Grok is living up to its obligations under the Digital Services Act, the bloc’s wide-ranging rulebook for keeping internet users safe from harmful content and products.—
Kelvin Chan,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
A little naughty, a little nice, kitten heels offer nine-to-five wear in polished yet practical form.—
Andrea Zendejas,
Vogue,
22 Jan. 2026
-
More like raw, bold, and sometimes a little naughty.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
15 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Grifters can be analyzed by affect (jolly, cold, angry, greedy, sad) and/or by gender.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Jan. 2026
-
There are no more smiles and no more hand-holding, only two sad adults.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Mercury News,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Todorovich is focusing on enterprise-wide business models but is not placing buys or negotiating return to vendors involving returning defective, damaged or unsold merchandise back to the supplier or manufacturer.—
David Moin,
Footwear News,
23 Jan. 2026
-
The partnership unraveled in 2007 over what MacNeil alleged were defective mats.—
Monica Hunter-Hart,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Two rotten potatoes and one rotten onion were found in the walk-in cooler.—
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
Updated January 23,
Sacbee.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Look for rotten or bruised areas on the fruits or vegetables and remove them before cutting or cooking.—
Cristina Mutchler,
Verywell Health,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Using a speaker outside the stall results in reverb and echoing as the music bounces around the bathroom walls, making the sound muddy and unpleasant.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Given the lack of gravity, even a runny nose can turn into an extremely unpleasant experience, forcing astronauts to resort to unusual measures just to drain mucus from their nasal passages.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bad.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bad. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
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