in a bad light

idiom

: in a way that makes someone or something look bad

The defendants were shown/depicted in a bad light by the lawyer.

Examples of in a bad light in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Overall numbers on recidivist crimes are hard to establish because the Russian government restricts the release of any public information that puts the war in a bad light. —Milana Mazaeva, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2024

Manzo reprimanded Glanville, saying that her comments were appalling and put American women in a bad light. —Kate Aurthur, Variety, 26 Jan. 2024

At that time, Trump complained frequently about Milley, a reaction to anecdotes in books and news articles that cast Trump in a bad light and described Milley as defending democracy from the then-president’s darker impulses. —Devlin Barrett, Josh Dawsey and Carol D. Leonnig, Anchorage Daily News, 2 June 2023

At that time, Trump complained frequently about Milley, a reaction to anecdotes in books and news articles that cast Trump in a bad light and described Milley as defending democracy from the then-president’s darker impulses. —Devlin Barrett, Josh Dawsey and Carol D. Leonnig, Anchorage Daily News, 2 June 2023

This season, there is hardly anyone Sandoval hasn’t attempted to cast in a bad light, from Katie Maloney to Lala Kent. —Louis Staples, Rolling Stone, 24 May 2023

The doctor spoke on the condition of anonymity because medical personnel have been threatened by commanders for releasing information showing them in a bad light. —Hafiz Haroun, Washington Post, 12 May 2023

Accurate grass-roots reports, especially those that cast the regime in a bad light, rarely penetrate up to policymakers. —Robert Mahoney, CNN, 26 Apr. 2022

Private texts without context can frame anyone in a bad light, and our kneejerk reaction is to believe the accuser, especially in the #MeToo era. —Erik Kain, Forbes, 26 June 2021