bad 1 of 6

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

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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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bad

2 of 6

adverb (1)

bad

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noun (1)

ill

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adjective (2)

1
as in sick
affected with nausea she grew ill from the constant rocking motion of the boat

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as in poor
falling short of a standard such ill behavior will not be tolerated

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ill

5 of 6

adverb (2)

ill

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noun (2)

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For
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bad news
awful news
bad weather
poor weather
awful weather
terrible weather
nasty weather
unfavorable weather
bad luck
rotten luck
lousy luck
a bad idea
a foolish idea
a dangerous idea
a poor idea
an unwise idea
an awful idea
bad behavior
malicious behavior
naughty behavior
poor behavior
terrible behavior
awful behavior

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
In fact, clicking on one in a suspicious email can make things worse by signaling to spammers that your address is active. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2025 Using one that’s old and worn out will be inefficient at best and give you a rash or razor burn at worst. Megan Gustashaw, Glamour, 29 Apr. 2025
Adverb
Ignoring one of them can lead you to bad-looking maps no one would prefer. J. Richard Gott, Scientific American, 17 Feb. 2021 The researchers think that by expelling their bad-tasting innards when fish are nibbling nearby, sea squirts may drive the fish away. Elizabeth Preston, Discover Magazine, 26 June 2015
Noun
In the Avenge the Earth storyline, those big bads included Apocalypse, the first mutant, and, of course, Kang the Conqueror. Joe George, Men's Health, 16 Feb. 2023 So what was the rationale behind introducing our new big bad in the exact opposite way? Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Feb. 2023
Adjective
Under the changes, Meta now allows users to accuse LGBTQ individuals of being mentally ill despite otherwise prohibiting such content. Miranda Nazzaro, The Hill, 23 Apr. 2025 So far, 28 of 355 passengers and four out of 260 crew members reported feeling ill onboard, the CDC said. Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Adverb
The 27-year-old man was first rescued on Tuesday after falling ill, Shizuoka prefectural police told CNN on Monday. Jack Guy, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2025 His wife fell ill on the second day of their trip and spent five nights in a hospital. Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
Noun
The film uses humour bravely, in a way that perhaps alludes to Aristophanes’ satirizing the ills of ancient Athenian democracy. Matthew Carey, Deadline, 16 Mar. 2025 Everyday architecture Instead, Liu seeks to redress some of the ills generated by his country’s rampant urbanization. Oscar Holland, CNN, 4 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bad

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Cite this Entry

“Bad.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bad. Accessed 6 May. 2025.

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