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

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adverb (2)

ill

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noun (2)

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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 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

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Cite this Entry

“Bad.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bad. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.

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