Thesaurus.com
Dictionary.com

bad times

NOUN
depression
Synonyms
STRONG
bankruptcy bust crash crisis deflation dislocation downturn drop failure inactivity inflation overproduction panic paralysis recession retrenchment sag slide slowness slump stagflation stagnation unemployment
WEAK
bear market big trouble hard times rainy days
Antonyms
STRONG
calm increase rise success
WEAK
bulge cheerfulness convexity encouragement happiness hope hopefulness protuberance recovery surge
NOUN
recession
Synonyms
STRONGEST
bankruptcy collapse decline deflation downturn hard times inflation shakeout slide slump stagnation unemployment
STRONG
bust depression
WEAK
big trouble rainy days
Antonyms
STRONGEST
increase rise success
WEAK
advance inflation
NOUN
slump
Synonyms
STRONGEST
collapse crash depreciation dip downtrend downturn drop fall low recession slide stagnation
STRONG
blight bottom bust depression descent downer downswing dumps funk letdown reverse rut sag slip trough
WEAK
bad period blue devils blue funk downslide fall-off falling-off hard times rainy days the skids
Antonyms
STRONGEST
ascent increase rise
STRONG
blessing boon happiness success

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Taking responsibility for speaking to the media in bad times as well as good.

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026

The bad times keep rolling for the region’s chemical producers, which have been crushed by high costs since losing access to Russian natural gas.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 29, 2026

From vintage polo shirts to retro radio reports, Filho faithfully recreates the era to prove that the bad times did happen.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 22, 2026

“Conversely,” he continues, “in bad times the interest rates may go down, but your revenues go down, too.”

From MarketWatch • Jan. 7, 2026

Others have thought such things, in bad times before this, and they were always right, they did get out one way or another, and it didn’t last forever.

From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood