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.
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
Horton says that situation is bad for competition.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026
Current and former government officials familiar with the companies’ environmental record called them routine bad actors.
From Salon • Jun. 10, 2026
While it looks bad at the moment, Sale can take solace in the fact that all of this season's Prem top four have had bleak years in the recent past.
From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026
The bad news is that his brain is open to infection.
From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman
Vocabulary lists containing bad
