Synonyms of bad
-
as in unacceptable 
-
as in evil
-
as in harmful
-
as in naughty
-
as in sad
-
as in defective
-
as in rotten
-
as in unpleasant
-
as in terrible
-
as in poorly
-
as in null
-
as in malicious
-
as in sick
-
as in dangerous
-
as in bad
-
as in poor
-
as in ominous
-
as in badly
-
as in severely
-
as in no
-
as in wrong
-
as in disease
-
as in badness
-
as in misfortune
-
Try This Instead
-
Example Sentences
-
Phrases Containing
-
Entries Near
-
Related Articles
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in naughty
engaging in or marked by childish misbehavior
the children were bad, so they didn't get dessert
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in sad
feeling unhappiness
hearing about the world's miseries always makes him feel bad
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in defective
having a fault
a bad video connection that is causing some picture loss
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in rotten
having undergone organic breakdown
I think the milk has turned bad
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in unpleasant
not giving pleasure to the mind or senses
the air in the damp basement had a very bad smell
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
9
as in terrible
of low quality
bad shoes that fell apart within a week
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
11
as in null
having no legal or binding force
all known claims on the property were dismissed by the court as bad
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in badly
in an unsatisfactory way
you didn't do too bad on the treadmill test
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in wrong
that which is morally unacceptable
there's bad and good in people of every race and nationality
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
as in dangerous
causing or capable of causing harm
one of the ill effects of winter weather is the rapid spread of germs as people spend more time together indoors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in bad
temporarily suffering from a disorder of the body
since I'm ill, I guess that I'll just have to miss that dental appointment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in poor
falling short of a standard
such ill behavior will not be tolerated
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in ominous
being or showing a sign of evil or calamity to come
the abrupt breakdown of negotiations appears to be an ill omen for this ongoing hostage situation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in severely
in a manner so as to cause loss or suffering
in those days society treated debtors very ill, even going so far as to put them in prison
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in no
certainly not
you can ill afford to miss another day of work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in disease
an abnormal state that disrupts a plant's or animal's normal bodily functioning
chicken pox and the other ills that were once a fixture of childhood
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in badness
that which is morally unacceptable
idealistic people who try to cure all of our society's ills
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in misfortune
bad luck or an example of this
the travelers merrily set off on their journey, scarcely imagining the ills that would befall them
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Try This Instead
Try This InsteadFor
Try This
bad news
bad weather
bad luck
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
James Folta, Literary Hub, 22 July 2025
Making the timing of this move even worse, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, the nation’s most high-profile banker, is warning that private credit funds may be heading for a 2008-style crisis.
—Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 July 2025
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
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
Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 17 July 2025
On the flip-side, the World Health Organization cites traffic noise such as road, rail and air traffic as the second most important cause of ill health in western Europe behind air pollution.
—Daisy Jones, Vogue, 15 July 2025
Robert Ross, Robb Report, 5 July 2025
To give praise which is not due might be well from the venal, but would ill beseem those who are asserting the rights of human nature.
—Lee Habeeb, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 July 2025
Hannah Seo, The Atlantic, 10 June 2025
Sly Stone fused joyful visions of the country with a deep understanding of its worst ills.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for bad
Adjective
In other words, telling people their work looks bad and AI-generated is gatekeeping laptop jobs.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 22 July 2025
Making the timing of this move even worse, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, the nation’s most high-profile banker, is warning that private credit funds may be heading for a 2008-style crisis.
—Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 July 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
About one in five infected people die, sometimes within a day or two of becoming ill, the CDC says.
—Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 17 July 2025
On the flip-side, the World Health Organization cites traffic noise such as road, rail and air traffic as the second most important cause of ill health in western Europe behind air pollution.
—Daisy Jones, Vogue, 15 July 2025
Adverb
Trouble will come from a rusty or ill-repaired example.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 5 July 2025
To give praise which is not due might be well from the venal, but would ill beseem those who are asserting the rights of human nature.
—Lee Habeeb, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 July 2025
Noun
Zooming in on mitochondria might offer a reassuringly specific and seemingly scientific explanation of the many real ills of the U.S. population, but ultimately, Means and MAHA are only helping obscure the big picture.
—Hannah Seo, The Atlantic, 10 June 2025
Sly Stone fused joyful visions of the country with a deep understanding of its worst ills.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for bad
Cite this Entry
“Bad.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bad. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share