The word ‘bad’ is one that is frequently used in English, and yet there are many other different words you can use instead to be more specific and make your writing more interesting.
There are several different meanings of ‘bad’, so decide on the meaning you want before choosing a suitable synonym.
If you want a synonym for ‘bad’ to say that something is awful or harmful, here are some alternative words you could use:
appalling
The weather for our sports day was appalling.
damaging
Car fumes can be highly damaging to the environment.
dangerous
Building sites are dangerous places.
dreadful
It was a dreadful shame that the weather was so bad for the party.
serious
The artist’s illness was too serious for him to continue painting.
terrible
Our team was terrible today. We lost by four goals!
If something is ‘bad’ because it is not of a very good quality, use one of the words below:
abysmal
“Such abysmal work is not acceptable,” said Mr Malone severely.
atrocious
The reporter admitted that his spelling was atrocious.
faulty
Engineers soon fixed the faulty telephone line.
inferior
The paint we bought was of inferior quality and didn’t last very long.
shoddy
Owing to shoddy workmanship, the house had to be redecorated.
unsatisfactory
The inspectors said just under a third of lessons were unsatisfactory.
To describe someone as ‘bad’ when they are being unkind or not behaving well, try one of these words:
cruel
I can’t stand people being cruel to children or animals.
disobedient
he disobedient boy ignored the warning notice and fell into the quarry.
evil
The programme was about the country’s most evil criminals.
mischievous
Tying Kerry’s shoelaces together was a mischievous prank.
naughty
“You’re a naughty girl, Cassandra,” said her mother angrily.
unkind
It was unkind to go without asking her.
wicked
The wicked witch lived alone.
Look at the Thesaurus entry for bad to find other synonyms and examples.
All opinions expressed on this blog are those of the individual writers, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Collins, or its parent company, HarperCollins.
This week we are looking at two words which may be confused by learners of English: power and strength. power If someone has power, they are able to control other people and their activities. He believes the President has too much power. People in… Read More
This week we are looking at two words which may be confused by learners of English: critic and critical. critic Critic /ˈkrɪtɪk/ is a noun. A critic is a person who writes reviews and gives opinions in newspapers or on television about books, films, music,… Read More
This week we are looking at two words which may be confused by learners of English: blame and fault. blame If you blame someone for something bad that has happened, you think that they made it happen. Police blamed the bus driver for the accident. Don’t blame me! You can blame something on someone. Maya blames all her… Read More
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. Read our cookie policy
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance.
collins_dictionary_official
The home of living language. #wotd #wordlovers #collinsdictionary
Read our word of the week definitions and blog posts: