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.
There have also been concerns that bad actors have also seized on the restrictions placed on Iranian imagery to proliferate fakes online.
From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026
I was paying for something that’s good for me and that can’t be a bad thing, right?
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
“If you have status on an airline, they are more obligated to give you something if you have a bad experience, because they do care about that,” she said.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026
We all doomscroll, which is kind of bad to say, but the first thing I check is my phone.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026
The congregation pondered, and I had a bad feeling I knew who.
From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck
Vocabulary lists containing bad
