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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.

Any sustained increase in service prices would be bad news for consumers, inflation and the Fed.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026

“I’ll never forget, he told me, ‘Byron, you’re only as good as you dare to be bad.’

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026

Exam watchdog Ofqual said people react to stress in different ways - while it can be a "great motivator" for some students, it can be bad for others when exam pressures are "overwhelming".

From BBC • May 29, 2026

And, just as with candy, cookies or french fries, filling up on them can be bad for you.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

“Both my mother and father think that would be bad for him. He’d just keep brooding and hoping. Maybe when he gets to a new country, he’ll forget the adoption business.”

From "Homesick" by Jean Fritz

be bad

Example Sentences

Related Words