Bad Definition & Meaning
bad
- adverb
- with great intensity (`bad' is a nonstandard variant for `badly'); "the injury hurt badly"; "the buildings were badly shaken"; "it hurts bad"; "we need water bad"
- very much; strongly; "I wanted it badly enough to work hard for it"; "the cables had sagged badly"; "they were badly in need of help"; "he wants a bicycle so bad he can taste it"
- adjective
- having undesirable or negative qualities; "a bad report card"; "his sloppy appearance made a bad impression"; "a bad little boy"; "clothes in bad shape"; "a bad cut"; "bad luck"; "the news was very bad"; "the reviews were bad"; "the pay is bad"; "it was a bad light for reading"; "the movie was a bad choice"
- very intense; "a bad headache"; "in a big rage"; "had a big (or bad) shock"; "a bad earthquake"; "a bad storm"
- feeling physical discomfort or pain (`tough' is occasionally used colloquially for `bad'); "my throat feels bad"; "she felt bad all over"; "he was feeling tough after a restless night"
- (of foodstuffs) not in an edible or usable condition; "bad meat"; "a refrigerator full of spoilt food"
- feeling or expressing regret or sorrow or a sense of loss over something done or undone; "felt regretful over his vanished youth"; "regretful over mistakes she had made"; "he felt bad about breaking the vase"
- not capable of being collected; "a bad (or uncollectible) debt"
- below average in quality or performance; "a bad chess player"; "a bad recital"
- nonstandard; "so-called bad grammar"
- not financially safe or secure; "a bad investment"; "high risk investments"; "anything that promises to pay too much can't help being risky"; "speculative business enterprises"
- physically unsound or diseased; "has a bad back"; "a bad heart"; "bad teeth"; "an unsound limb"; "unsound teeth"
- capable of harming; "bad air"; "smoking is bad for you"
- characterized by wickedness or immorality; "led a very bad life"
- reproduced fraudulently; "like a bad penny..."; "a forged twenty dollar bill"
- not working properly; "a bad telephone connection"; "a defective appliance"
- noun
- that which is below standard or expectations as of ethics or decency; "take the bad with the good"
"Bad" in song lyrics
See how bad is used in real songs:
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"So to break bread I'ma have to break bad"
2 Hungry Bros. present 8thW1 — Talkin -
"I had to take a stand and beat the trick bad"
2 Live Crew — Living in America -
"And I'll be way too busy doin' good to do bad"
2nd II None f/ Playa Hamm — Pawdy
Words that rhyme with bad
Usage tips for "bad"
Understanding the precise definition of a word helps you use it with confidence. When using "bad" in your writing, consider whether you need the word itself or one of its synonyms — subtle differences in meaning can change the tone of a sentence. If you're writing poetry or song lyrics, check the rhymes for bad to find words that pair well.
Use "bad" in a verse
Now that you know what "bad" means, try using it in your own lyrics:
Generate a verseFrequently asked questions
- What does bad mean?
- with great intensity (`bad' is a nonstandard variant for `badly'); "the injury hurt badly"; "the buildings were badly shaken"; "it hurts bad"; "we need water bad" very much; strongly; "I wanted it badly enough to work hard for it"; "the cables had sagged badly"; "they were badly in need of help"; "he wants a bicycle so bad he can taste it" having undesirable or negative qualities; "a bad report card"; "his sloppy appearance made a bad impression"; "a bad little boy"; "clothes in bad shape
- What part of speech is bad?
- Bad is an adverb, an adjective, and a noun.
- How many definitions does bad have?
- Bad has 17 definitions across 3 parts of speech (adverb, adjective, noun).