bad
gb/bˈæd/ us/bˈæd/
A1
English
~ 400
Senses
0 senses
adjective
A1
property
1
Of poor quality or standard
Not good in quality or standard.
Usage pattern:
[something] is bad
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'bad' with 'badly' when describing verbs. Use 'bad' for nouns and 'badly' for actions.
Synonyms
poor (Similar meaning but slightly more formal and less emotionally loaded.)
Antonyms
good (Direct opposite in terms of quality or standard.)
Collocations
bad weather
|bad idea
|bad habit
|bad service
|bad luck
Themes
daily life
|evaluation
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The food at that restaurant was really bad.
- He made a bad decision that cost the company money.
- We had bad weather all week.
- That movie had bad acting and a weak plot.
- This printer makes bad copies.
Learner examples
- The coffee tastes bad.
- It is a bad photo.
- My phone has a bad battery.
- She has a bad job.
- This pen is bad.
adjective
A2
property
2
Harmful or dangerous
Causing harm or problems.
Usage pattern:
[something] is bad for [someone/something]
Synonyms
harmful (More formal and often used in scientific or health contexts.)
Antonyms
beneficial (Opposite in meaning, indicating something that helps or improves.)
Collocations
bad for your health
|bad influence
|bad effect
|bad for the environment
Themes
health
|safety
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Smoking is bad for your health.
- Too much sugar is bad for your teeth.
- Lack of sleep is bad for concentration.
- Pollution is bad for the environment.
- This medicine can be bad for your stomach.
Learner examples
- Sugar is bad for your teeth.
- Smoking is bad for you.
- Cold weather is bad for my skin.
- Not sleeping is bad for me.
- Fast food is bad for health.
adjective
A2
property
3
Morally wrong or evil
Not good or right in a moral way.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is a bad [person/thing]
Synonyms
immoral (More formal and specifically refers to breaking moral codes.)
Antonyms
good (In moral terms, meaning virtuous or ethical.)
Collocations
bad person
|bad behavior
|bad intentions
Themes
ethics
|behavior
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He is a bad man who cheats people.
- It was a bad thing to lie to your friend.
- Stealing is a bad act.
- She has a bad reputation because she often breaks the law.
- That was a very bad choice morally.
Learner examples
- He is a bad man.
- Stealing is bad.
- It is bad to lie.
- She did a bad thing.
- They are bad people.
adjective
informal
A2
property
4
Very unpleasant or severe
Very unpleasant or serious.
Usage pattern:
[someone] has a bad [pain/problem/situation]
Synonyms
terrible (Stronger emotional tone than 'bad'.)
Antonyms
mild (Opposite in degree when describing unpleasantness or severity.)
Collocations
bad headache
|bad day
|bad accident
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I have a bad headache today.
- They were in a bad car accident.
- We had a bad day at work.
- She caught a bad cold last week.
- There was a bad smell coming from the trash.
Learner examples
- I have a bad cold.
- It was a bad day.
- He has a bad leg.
- There was a bad fire.
- She had a bad dream.
adjective
slang
B2
property
5
Impressive or excellent (slang)
Slang: very good or cool.
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] is bad
Common mistake:
Learners may misunderstand slang 'bad' as the opposite of its standard meaning and get confused in context.
Synonyms
awesome (Informal term meaning impressive or excellent.)
Antonyms
lame (Slang term meaning unimpressive or uncool.)
Collocations
He's one bad guitarist
Themes
slang
|pop culture
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- That new car is really bad!
- She's one bad dancer—in the best way possible.
- Man, that concert was bad!
- You think you can beat me? I'm bad!
Learner examples
- That song is so bad! (meaning good)
- He is a bad player. (meaning good)
Grammar
Dictionary form
bad
IPA
GB/bˈæd/
US/bˈæd/
Syllables & stress
bad (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (bad)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: bad
- Comparative: worse
- Superlative: worst
Word family
Forms
worse
adjective A2
worst
adjective
Core family
badly
adverb A2
Related words
badness
noun
Negative and opposite forms
good
adjective A1
Highlights
- Irregular comparative: worse Adjective
- Irregular superlative: worst Adjective
Expressions
go from bad to worse
1/ɡˈoʊ fɹˈʌm bˈæd tə wˈɚs/
idiom
Change from poor to worse condition
To become even worse than before.
Examples
- The situation went from bad to worse after the storm hit.
- Her health went from bad to worse.
in a bad mood
1/ˈɪn ə bˈæd mˈud/
fixed phrase
Feeling irritable or upset now
Feeling unhappy or angry right now.
Examples
- She's in a bad mood today.
- Don't talk to him—he's in a bad mood.
in the worst way (want something) / want something badly (informal variant)
1/ˈɪn ðə wˈɚst wˈeɪ wˈɔnt sˈʌmθɪŋ wˈɔnt sˈʌmθɪŋ bˈædli ɪnfˈɔɹməl vˈɛɹiənt/
fixed phrase
informal
Want something very much (informal)
To want something very much, informally said as 'want badly'.
Examples
- I want that job in the worst way.
- He wanted to win badly.
too bad
1/tˈu bˈæd/
fixed phrase
Expression of mild sympathy/regret
Used to say you are sorry something happened, but it cannot be changed.
Examples
- It's too bad you missed the party.
- Too bad we can't stay longer.
my bad
1/mˈaɪ bˈæd/
fixed phrase
informal
admitting a mistake
A casual way to say you made a mistake and you are sorry.
Examples
- Oops, I sent the wrong file—my bad!
- Oh, I forgot to call you—my bad!
- I forgot to call you back, my bad.
- My bad, I didn’t see your message.