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.
They note that the main culprit was a “catastrophically bad control-room design” where workers “were unable to understand what was going wrong.”
From Slate • Apr. 4, 2026
With stroke play, he says, “one bad break like that would ruin your chances for the entire event.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026
It matters who will control solar geoengineering, but in a world of bad and less-bad options, we might not have much choice.
From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026
Arteta confirmed Eze will miss the game through injury, but Odegaard and Timber are in contention to return, while Madueke's injury is not as bad as first feared and is a doubt.
From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026
He said this with such a grave and practiced tone, the kind of voice accustomed to delivering bad news to people who are unaccustomed to accepting it.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
