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.
But duos in previous series have been pushed to their physical and emotional limits as they missed connections or ended up losing hours after following bad directions.
From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026
“But then I realized pretty quickly that this would lead me down a bad route.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026
“Dwelling on the past, if it was bad, is not gonna get you anywhere. Getting too high in the successful moments isn’t gonna get you anywhere,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026
The home-furnishings company missed analysts’ fiscal fourth-quarter earnings and revenue targets as tariffs and bad weather weighed on demand.
From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026
If I can make it to the end of this humiliating moment, then whatever comes next won’t be quite as bad.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
