bad
having undesirable or negative qualities
How often you will meet it
Rank 481 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 42,517 times across 155,139 chapters — 0.020% of every word in the library.
It belongs to the first 500 words, the band worth learning before any other.
What it means
adjective
- having undesirable or negative qualities a bad report cardhis sloppy appearance made a bad impression
- very intense also: big a bad headachein a big rage
- feeling physical discomfort or pain (`tough' is occasionally used colloquially for `bad') also: tough my throat feels badshe felt bad all over
- (of foodstuffs) not in an edible or usable condition also: spoiled, spoilt bad meata refrigerator full of spoilt food
- feeling or expressing regret or sorrow or a sense of loss over something done or undone also: regretful, sorry felt regretful over his vanished youthregretful over mistakes she had made
- not capable of being collected also: uncollectible a bad (or uncollectible) debt
bad in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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The light was bad and I didn't see anything at first.
The Abandoned Room · Wadsworth Camp · Chapter 1
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You had betther not bring the priest's ill-will, or his bad heart upon us.
The Station · William Carleton · Chapter 1
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I don't want to scoff At chance bad luck, but you have not come off!
Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890 · Various · Chapter 1
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The pirates were bad enough, but they didn't have all the vices of the present day.
Punchinello, Volume 1, No. 08, May 21, 1870 · Various · Chapter 1
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They had marched thirty-six miles without rest, along bad roads and through woods, and were unable to go farther.
A Knight of the White Cross · G. A. (George Alfred) Henty · Chapter 1