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.
A zero-percent target would leave little room for error, as even a minor shock could result in deflation, or falling prices, arguably as bad an outcome, or worse, than inflation.
From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026
Michael, who is from Greenock but now lives in Australia, said: "I don't think I've ever felt that bad."
From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026
Chunky payouts and subdued prices meant the 1930s weren’t quite as bad as they looked.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026
Not only is the rise of autocratic leaders “objectively bad for the world,” he adds, but the feeling that the show “didn’t go far enough” is also “unsettling,” to put it lightly.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
“You just what? You feel bad for the stupid badger?”
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
Vocabulary lists containing bad
