be bad

VERB

act up (misbehave)

Synonyms

WEAK

act out be out of line behave badly carry on fool around horseplay make trouble misbehave rebel set a bad example show off

Antonyms

WEAK

behave

VERB

misbehave

Synonyms

STRONGEST

act up fool around trespass

STRONG

deviate fail misconduct offend roughhouse sin transgress

WEAK

be at fault be dissolute be guilty be immoral be indecorous be insubordinate be mischievous be out of line be out of order be reprehensible bend the law carry on cut up do evil do wrong get into mischief go astray go wrong make trouble sow wild oats take a wrong turn

Antonyms

STRONG

behave obey

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.

So long as it always errs on the side of over-punishment, it can be bad.

From Salon • Jun. 22, 2026

The latest example came Wednesday from the Pew Research Center, finding more Americans predict the technology will be bad rather than good for society.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 20, 2026

That could be bad news for home buyers seeking lower mortgage rates.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 19, 2026

Good news for SK Hynx has the potential to be bad news for Micron but there was no mention of the Korean becoming an exclusive supplier for Nvidia.

From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026

I feel so peaceful and safe with his arm around me, knowing he’s near and yet not having to speak; how can this be bad when it does me so much good?

From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank

be bad

Example Sentences

Related Words