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bad

bad

733 1.0
Feeling sorry or guilty about something
  • adjective
  • /bæd/
translation icon : arrepentido
  • One child indicated that he always felt bad when the partner he wanted had already been chosen.
  • feel bad
  • make someone feel bad
  • really feel bad

You made them feel foolish, look bad, feel bad, feel hurt.

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Examples

  • So I think Phil and Chris felt kind of bad about it.

  • For a moment, he felt bad that he hadn't shut it behind him.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • But for her, she felt so bad that it was worth the risk.

  • I feel so bad for the two gentlemen.

  • I feel so bad for all those people.

  • I feel very bad for you.

  • Well, I feel bad about it now, I guess.

  • By then, we knew what was going on, and we felt bad for May Anna.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • It's just that it makes me feel bad when Mr. Hunsecker hurts you.

  • She felt so bad for lying to her friend.

Synonyms

sorry
vsbad
1.0

Feeling regret for something you did

is the inner feeling of guilt, sorrow, or regret rather than only an apology
guilty
vsbad
793 1.4

Showing that you feel bad about doing something wrong

is broader, including sorrow or regret without implying responsibility
ashamed
vsbad
504 1.0

Feeling embarrassed and guilty about something you did or failed to do

focuses on regret, guilt, or sorrow rather than feelings of embarrassment
remorseful
vsbad
18 4.6

Feeling very sorry for doing something that hurt someone

is a general feeling that can be less deep than this strong sorrow
regretful
vsbad
9 2.9

Feeling sorry for something you did or said

is the broader feeling of guilt, sorrow, or regret without that specific wishing
rueful
vsbad
5 7.8

Feeling sorry about something you did and showing it

is broader and can include stronger guilt or sorrow than this mild tone

Antonyms

18 7.5

Not feeling sorry for something and not wanting to change

Idioms

too bad
  • Informal
643 3.3

Saying that something is unfortunate or disappointing

not bad
  • Informal
134 3.0

Better than expected and quite good

my bad
  • Informal
47 8.4

A short casual phrase to admit you made a mistake

17 6.0

Very sick or having serious money problems

not half bad
  • Informal
14 7.4

Better than you expected

Make someone or something look bad to other people

An unpleasant feeling of dislike after an experience

To keep spending money on something that is already failing

bad penny
  • Informal
2 7.7

Something unwanted that keeps coming back

on bad terms
  • Informal
1 3.6

Not friendly with someone because of a disagreement

Put someone into a difficult situation they cannot control because of bad luck

1 7.9

To put someone into a bad or difficult situation because of bad luck

A time when someone has trouble

9.9

When people use bad money, they keep better money and it disappears

in bad odor
  • Archaic
9.3

Not liked or trusted by other people after doing something wrong

Speak badly about someone or something to other people

Compounds

515 1.0

Unpleasant information that makes you feel sad or upset

bad guy
  • Informal
415 3.0

A person who goes against others or causes harm

246 2.3

A choice or plan that will probably cause problems

166 1.0

Unlucky events that happen by chance

bad boy
  • Informal
108 6.1

A man who breaks rules and seems exciting but causes trouble

bad person
  • Offensive
104 1.6

A person who harms others on purpose or does wrong things

76 3.6

A sense that something bad may happen

54 2.4

A choice that is not good and causes problems later

46 1.0

Weather that makes being outside unpleasant, often with rain or strong wind

bad blood
  • Informal
28 4.8

A feeling of anger or dislike between people that often leads to hostility

26 2.5

A remark meant to make people laugh that is not funny or is rude

21 4.1

An unpleasant feeling that stays after something rude or upsetting

bad apple
  • Informal
16 4.4

A person in a group who causes trouble for others

14 3.4

A habit of getting angry easily and staying in a bad mood

bad check
  • Specialized
13 3.5

A check from an account without enough money that the bank does not pay

12 1.6

Rude behavior that breaks normal social rules

11 5.3

Dishonest or harmful actions by a company and its workers that damage trust

bad hair day
  • Informal
11 4.6

A day when someone's hair looks messy and they feel unhappy about it

9 6.5

A person who behaves badly and damages a group or its work

bad debt
  • Specialized
9 4.1

A debt that a person who borrowed money cannot or will not pay back

bad egg
  • Offensive
5 5.6

A person who cannot be trusted and may lie or steal

3 3.7

People who can make you behave badly or get into trouble

3 4.4

A record of past bad actions that makes people not trust a person or organization

2 3.7

A disappointing finish to a story, event, or experience

Big Bad Wolf
  • Literature
2 3.2

A wolf in children's stories who hurts or tricks people

2 3.9

Poor lighting that makes it hard to see

1 7.2

A treatment that is not helpful or is unpleasant but sometimes needed to make you better

big and bad
  • Informal
1 6.8

Very large and so strong that it scares or impresses people

1 5.4

A situation where people are not friendly and do not trust each other

1 4.6

A purchase or deal that leaves you worse off

bad hat
  • Offensive
1 8.3

A person who causes trouble on purpose or acts dishonestly

bad touch
  • Offensive
1 9.0

Unwanted physical contact that makes someone feel scared or uncomfortable

bad actor
  • Specialized
1 8.1

A software tool that attacks or steals data from a computer system

1 3.3

Not polite when you are with other people

bad fairy
  • Literature
1 7.4

A fairy who wants to harm people or cause trouble

1 6.8

A dry area of eroded rock with few plants in western South Dakota and Nebraska

bad block
  • Specialized
7.7

A part of a disk where data cannot be read or written because it is damaged

bad block
  • Specialized
7.5

A block in a blockchain that the network computers do not accept because it breaks the rules

bad boy image
  • Informal
6.3

An attractive look of not following rules, often in men

bad looker
  • Offensive
8.4

A person who many people think is not good looking

7.9

A time when a team or person keeps getting bad results

the bad place
  • Informal
8.7

A place believed to be for punishment after death or a very bad situation

How Sorry

contrite
13 8.1
remorseful
18 4.6
bad
733 1.0
regretful
9 2.9
sorry
1.0

Surface Forms

bad positive
worse comparative
worst superlative

Etymology

Bad began as a word for 'not good', and people also used it for how someone feels inside when they have done something wrong. So to feel bad now means to feel 'sorry' or full of regret.