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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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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as in badly
in an unsatisfactory way
you didn't do too bad on the treadmill test
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as in wrong
that which is morally unacceptable
there's bad and good in people of every race and nationality
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of bad
Graham Ruthven, New York Times, 24 May 2026
However, the lack of filtering, context, and vetting can cause bad information to go viral.
—Marshall Shepherd, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026
Judy Berman, Time, 21 Jan. 2026
Pull leftovers that still need to be eaten to the front, along with any foods that are going to go bad soon.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Nov. 2025
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
Indeed, they are saddled with the joint-worst home record in the league, having won just twice in front of their own fans.
—Graham Ruthven, New York Times, 24 May 2026
However, the lack of filtering, context, and vetting can cause bad information to go viral.
—Marshall Shepherd, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026
Adverb
The dialogue sometimes lapses from bad-funny to just bad.
—Judy Berman, Time, 21 Jan. 2026
Pull leftovers that still need to be eaten to the front, along with any foods that are going to go bad soon.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Nov. 2025
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
-
What types of answers are unacceptable?—
Prasad Maderamitla,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
-
If a tool creates unacceptable risk, districts should not use it.—
Mercury News Editorial Board,
Mercury News,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
There’s a strong sense that Feito’s novel got more mileage out of such questions as who is truly sane or insane and whether evil exists in all of us.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
22 May 2026
-
The Gunslinger versus the evil Rancher (or space crime syndicate bosses, as the case may be).—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Adjective
-
Avoiding peak sunlight hours, and wearing hats, clothing, and sticking to the shade are safe and effective ways to reduce your risk of harmful sun exposure, Fisher says.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
25 May 2026
-
Gallup recently found that the percentage of Americans who drink alcohol has fallen to 54%, the lowest level in nearly 90 years, while a majority now believe even moderate drinking is harmful to health.—
Daphne Ewing-Chow,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2026
Adjective
-
The play was naughty stuff in 1925, when the show, starring Tallulah Bankhead, got banned.—
Sheldon Pearce,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
-
But theatergoers around me couldn’t seem to get enough, no matter how repetitive the naughty humor became.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
The sad thing is that the miseries return, but there is no other Garrincha available.—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
-
Our deepest sympathies and condolences go out to Cesar's family and friends during this very sad time.—
Jesse Zanger,
CBS News,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
The goal is ensuring that the legal system reaches the real victims of defective products, dangerous drugs and corporate negligence.—
Arnold Sotelo,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
-
That six-story building has had 117 open violations, which include defective self-closing doors on the fourth and sixth floors and nonfunctioning smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors, city records show.—
Emma Seiwell,
New York Daily News,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
Anyone on the market for a new house over the past six years has had rotten luck.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
-
Advocates say the rotten food and lack of basic medical care is so bad some detainees are even on a hunger strike.—
Nick Caloway,
CBS News,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
Artificial Grape Deterrent Birds find the compound methyl anthranilate unpleasant.—
Gemma Johnstone,
The Spruce,
24 May 2026
-
Aside from an unpleasant taste and potentially foul odor, condiments that have been opened and sitting in your fridge for too long can cause illness.—
Arabella Hau,
PEOPLE,
23 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bad.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bad. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
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