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.
“If you get bad advice from a bot, it’s on you.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 25, 2026
Writing the book was this moment of, “Oh no, am I making us talk about all the bad times again?”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 25, 2026
This isn’t the kind of delicious, schadenfreude-dipped publishing-world drama about a bad art friend that other writers love to deconstruct in group texts.
From Salon • Jun. 25, 2026
“I’ve been saying that for years. Not that it’s a bad place to work. It’s not a bad company. It’s just, what are you trying to be today?”
From Slate • Jun. 25, 2026
‘Long time, bad time. He’s hiding. Otters have thrown him out, but he’s not yet found his beautiful valley.’
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
Vocabulary lists containing bad
