bad
Usage
What are other ways to say bad?
When describing things that are lacking in moral qualities or are actually vicious and reprehensible, bad is the broadest and simplest term: a bad man; bad habits. Evil applies to that which violates or leads to the violation of moral law: evil practices. Ill now appears mainly in certain fixed expressions, with a milder implication than that in evil: ill will; ill-natured. Wicked implies willful and determined doing of what is very wrong: a wicked plan.
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.
Hopefully, it’s not as bad as that worst-case scenario presumes.
From MarketWatch • May 25, 2026
When I imagined myself pecking away at the keyboard, I felt bad.
From Los Angeles Times • May 25, 2026
Mr. Trump on Sunday pushed back against critics of the deal, saying “I don’t make bad deals.”
From The Wall Street Journal • May 24, 2026
Losing their captain and principal scorer is bad enough but losing him for little or no money might be deemed insult added to injury.
From BBC • May 24, 2026
And even from a distance, Clare could see that her skin had gone the color of his tail—a silvery pallor that seemed to mean something very bad.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
Vocabulary lists containing bad
