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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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
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of bad
Kimberly Nordyke, HollywoodReporter, 26 Apr. 2026
During a Southern summer, there’s nothing worse than burning your bare feet on a hot surface, so this outdoor rug is worth grabbing to keep your patio cool.
—Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 26 Apr. 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
Now, the event turned out to be much less bad because nobody was killed.
—Kimberly Nordyke, HollywoodReporter, 26 Apr. 2026
During a Southern summer, there’s nothing worse than burning your bare feet on a hot surface, so this outdoor rug is worth grabbing to keep your patio cool.
—Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 26 Apr. 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
-
Those parties clinging to the outdated and socially unacceptable business model that relies on selling puppy mill puppies to unsuspecting consumers are no longer welcome in nine states and over 520 localities and some are looking for a new home.—
Annie Hornish,
Hartford Courant,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri denounced the attack as tragic and unacceptable during a visit to the village on Monday.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The actors sprang to life, staging a lurid scene in which an evil mistress named Selina frames the heroine for killing her unborn child.—
Chang Che,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Clearly, the Iranian regime is evil.—
Tom Jurkowsky,
Baltimore Sun,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But research has shown that several metabolic and heart diseases impair the immune system’s ability to moderate inflammation—causing harmful levels of inflammation in response to high cholesterol, fat or glucose.—
Lauren J. Young,
Scientific American,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Today, 87% of agricultural subsidies are environmentally or socially harmful.—
Carlos Alvarado Quesada,
Fortune,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
His tics are not naughty mischief, but an uncontrollable action.—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Paltrow has been savvy at selling herself as naughty and nice.—
Marisa Meltzer,
Vanity Fair,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Back in the city, Amanda and Ciara go for a walk so that Amanda can hear all about the makeup with West and then tell Ciara the very sad tale of her love story as it was related to their couple’s therapist.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
29 Apr. 2026
-
None at all leads to slow, pale, sad-looking growth that limps through the season.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But something proved defective in his plan or mind, and as a result, no one was killed.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The footage shows Coyote hiring billboard accident lawyer Kevin Avery (Will Forte) and his legal team to sue the Acme corporation — represented by its slick corporate counsel, Buddy Crane (John Cena) — for its defective products.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In the fall, the adults would find rotten crescents in the harvest.—
Lizzie Johnson,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
-
As of Thursday night, the film had a rotten 33 percent critics’ score on Rotten tomatoes.—
Pamela McClintock,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The dusty chocolate coating is bitter and unpleasant, and there isn’t enough salt to offset it.—
Alex Beggs,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Some of it has been very unpleasant for me and many others, especially those who look like me.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bad.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bad. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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