bad

adjective

UK /bæd/

Word Forms

adjective	bad
comparative	worse
superlative	worst

1
not pleasant or enjoyable
The weather was really bad – it rained all week.
She was feeling stressed after a bad day at work.
I’m afraid I have some bad news for you.
a bad dream
For people living alone, Christmas is often the worst time of the year.
Synonyms and related words
Not pleasant and enjoyable
unpleasant
bad
awful
2
likely to cause major problems
a bad accident/mistake/case of flu
Police used tear gas, but that just made the situation worse.
It was the worst scandal of the Clinton presidency.
go from bad to worse:
In the second half of the game, things went from bad to worse.
Synonyms and related words
Causing problems and disagreement
difficult
bad
embarrassing
1. 2a
  likely to harm your health or your body
  a bad diet
  bad for:
  Too much salt can be bad for your heart.
  Synonyms and related words
  Bad for you or your health
  bad
  unhealthy
  debilitating
2. 2b
  likely to damage your success or people’s opinion of you
  The show got a really bad review in the Sunday paper.
  Worried about bad publicity, the drug companies agreed to reduce their prices.
  bad for:
  They are trying to develop tourism, but high crime rates are bad for business.
  Synonyms and related words
  Bad for your reputation
  reputational
  bad
  degrading
  Synonyms and related words
  Bad for you or your health
  bad
  unhealthy
  debilitating
3
of very low quality
one of this year’s worst films
bad management/workmanship
The show was so bad they took it off after two episodes.
Synonyms and related words
Bad or of a low quality
sad
poor
terribly
1. 3a
  not at all skilful
  a bad driver/teacher
  bad at (doing) something:
  I’m really bad at remembering people’s names.
  Synonyms and related words
  Not skilful or able
  incompetent
  incapable
  awful
4
not appropriate or convenient
a bad decision
You’ve been given bad advice.
I can come back later if this is a bad time for you.
Synonyms and related words
Not suitable or convenient
unsuitable
inappropriate
inconvenient
1. 4a
  not fair, acceptable, or reasonable
  a bad way to treat your customers
  It’s bad that you have to wait so long for an appointment.
  Synonyms and related words
  Unfair
  unfair
  unjust
  unequal
5
used about a part of your body that is causing you pain or is not working well
a bad back/leg/stomach
You shouldn’t try these exercises if you have a bad heart.
Synonyms and related words
Physically painful and describing pain
achy
acute
agonising
6
behaving in a cruel, evil, or criminal way
He’s not a bad man, just very weak.
Synonyms and related words
Cruel and unkind
cruel
unkind
evil
Synonyms and related words
Evil
evil
atrocious
bad
1. 6a
  used about children who do not behave well or obey adults
  Synonyms and related words
  Words used to describe children
  adolescent
  bad
  big
7
no longer fresh or good to eat or drink
This milk smells bad.
go bad:
It will go bad if you don’t put it in the refrigerator.
Synonyms and related words
Tasting bad or lacking flavour
stale
nasty
rancid
8
comparative badder
superlative baddest
spokengood. This word is used mainly by young people.
Synonyms and related words
Words used mainly by young people
awesome
awesomesauce
bad
Synonyms and related words
Very good
great
select
terrific
9
be taken bad
to become sick
My mom is taken bad this morning.
Submitted by:
Caleb Judy from United States on 17/11/2015
Open Dictionary - November2015

phrases

feel bad (about something)

in a bad way

not bad

too bad

bad

adjective

US /bæd/

Word Forms

adjective	bad
comparative	worse
superlative	worst

1
not pleasant or enjoyable
The weather was really bad – it rained all week.
She was feeling stressed after a bad day at work.
I’m afraid I have some bad news for you.
a bad dream
For people living alone, Christmas is often the worst time of the year.
Synonyms and related words
Not pleasant and enjoyable
unpleasant
bad
awful
2
likely to cause major problems
a bad accident/mistake/case of the flu
Police used tear gas, but that just made the situation worse.
It was the worst scandal of the Clinton presidency.
go from bad to worse:
In the second half of the game, things went from bad to worse.
Synonyms and related words
Causing problems and disagreement
difficult
bad
embarrassing
1. 2a
  likely to harm your health or your body
  a bad diet
  bad for:
  Too much salt can be bad for your heart.
  Synonyms and related words
  Bad for you or your health
  bad
  unhealthy
  debilitating
2. 2b
  likely to damage your success or people’s opinion of you
  The show got a really bad review in the Sunday paper.
  Worried about bad publicity, the drug companies agreed to reduce their prices.
  bad for:
  They are trying to develop tourism, but high crime rates are bad for business.
  Synonyms and related words
  Bad for your reputation
  reputational
  bad
  degrading
  Synonyms and related words
  Bad for you or your health
  bad
  unhealthy
  debilitating
3
of very low quality
one of this year’s worst movies
bad management/workmanship
The show was so bad they took it off after two episodes.
Synonyms and related words
Bad or of a low quality
bad
poor
second-rate
1. 3a
  not at all skillful
  a bad driver/teacher
  bad at (doing) something:
  I’m really bad at remembering people’s names.
  Synonyms and related words
  Not skillful or able
  incompetent
  incapable
  awful
4
not appropriate or convenient
a bad decision
You’ve been given bad advice.
I can come back later if this is a bad time for you.
Synonyms and related words
Not suitable or convenient
unsuitable
inappropriate
inconvenient
1. 4a
  not fair, acceptable, or reasonable
  a bad way to treat your customers
  It’s bad that you have to wait so long for an appointment.
  Synonyms and related words
  Unfair
  unfair
  unjust
  unequal
5
used about a part of your body that is causing you pain or is not working well
a bad back/leg/stomach
You shouldn’t try these exercises if you have a bad heart.
Synonyms and related words
Physically painful and describing pain
achy
acute
agonising
6
behaving in a cruel, evil, or criminal way
He’s not a bad man, just very weak.
Synonyms and related words
Cruel and unkind
cruel
unkind
evil
Synonyms and related words
Evil
evil
atrocious
bad
1. 6a
  used about children who do not behave well or obey adults
  Synonyms and related words
  Words used to describe children
  adolescent
  bad
  big
7
no longer fresh or good to eat or drink
This milk smells bad.
go bad:
It will go bad if you don’t put it in the refrigerator.
Synonyms and related words
Tasting bad or lacking flavor
stale
nasty
rancid
8
comparative badder
superlative baddest
spokengood. This word is used mainly by young people.
Synonyms and related words
Words used mainly by young people
awesome
awesomesauce
bad
Synonyms and related words
Very good
great
select
terrific
9
be taken bad
to become sick
My mom is taken bad this morning.
Submitted by:
Caleb Judy from United States on 17/11/2015
Open Dictionary - November2015

phrases

feel bad (about something)

in a bad way

not bad

too bad

bad

adverbspoken

UK /bæd/

Word Forms

comparative	worse
superlative	worst

1
badly. Many people consider this use incorrect
It hurts real bad when I run.
Synonyms and related words
Serious, severe and extreme
serious
severe
extreme

phrases

someone’s got it bad

bad

adverbspoken

US /bæd/

Word Forms

comparative	worse
superlative	worst

1
badly. Many people consider this use incorrect
It hurts real bad when I run.
Synonyms and related words
Serious, severe and extreme
serious
severe
extreme

phrases

someone’s got it bad

bad

noun

UK /bæd/

1
go to the bad
to start behaving in a dishonest or improper way
I hate seeing people going to the bad.
Submitted by:
Caleb Judy from United States on 13/10/2015
Open Dictionary - October2015

phrases

my bad
informal
1
used for admitting that something is your fault
Synonyms and related words
Ways of making or receiving criticism or blame
against
the buck stops here/with someone
charming
take the bad with the good
1
to accept that bad things happen and not complain about them
Synonyms and related words
To be patient, and to not complain too much
roll with the punches
bear
tolerate
to the bad
1
if you are a particular amount of money to the bad, you have lost that amount
It was a disastrous deal that left the French company over £300 million to the bad.
Synonyms and related words
Betting, bets and ways of betting
bet
betting
call

bad

noun

US /bæd/

1
go to the bad
to start behaving in a dishonest or improper way
I hate seeing people going to the bad.
Submitted by:
Caleb Judy from United States on 13/10/2015
Open Dictionary - October2015

phrases

my bad
Americanspoken
1
used mainly by young people, for admitting that you have done something wrong
Synonyms and related words
Words used mainly by young people
awesome
awesomesauce
bad
Synonyms and related words
Ways of admitting something
true
admittedly
sure
take the bad with the good
1
to accept that bad things happen and not complain about them
Synonyms and related words
To be patient, and to not complain too much
roll with the punches
bear
tolerate
to the bad
1
if you are a particular amount of money to the bad, you have lost that amount
It was a disastrous deal that left the French company over $300 million to the bad.
Synonyms and related words
Betting, bets and ways of betting
across-the-board
bet
betting
my bad
informal
1
used for admitting that something is your fault
Synonyms and related words
Ways of making or receiving criticism or blame
against
the buck stops here/with someone
charming

bad ​‌‌‌

be taken bad

bad ​‌‌‌

be taken bad

bad

bad

bad

go to the bad

my bad

take the bad with the good

to the bad

bad

go to the bad

my bad

take the bad with the good

to the bad

my bad

bad

bad