Skip to main content
bad

bad

684 1.0
Feeling sorry or guilty about something
  • adjective
  • /bæd/
: 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.

Autoplay Next

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
ashamed
vsbad
505 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
guilty
vsbad
450 1.4

Showing that you feel bad about doing something wrong

is broader, including sorrow or regret without implying responsibility
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

not bad
  • Informal
938 3.0

Better than expected and quite good

too bad
  • Informal
536 3.3

Saying that something is unfortunate or disappointing

my bad
  • Informal
62 8.4

A short casual phrase to admit you made a mistake

14 6.0

Very sick or having serious money problems

not half bad
  • Informal
8 7.4

Better than you expected

An unpleasant feeling of dislike after an experience

Make someone or something look bad to other people

To keep spending money on something that is already failing

3 7.9

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

bad penny
  • Informal
3 7.7

Something unwanted that keeps coming back

on bad terms
  • Informal
2 3.6

Not friendly with someone because of a disagreement

A time when someone has trouble

in bad odor
  • Archaic
1 9.3

Not liked or trusted by other people after doing something wrong

1 9.9

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

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

Speak badly about someone or something to other people

Compounds

bad guy
  • Informal
612 3.0

A person who goes against others or causes harm

534 1.0

Unpleasant information that makes you feel sad or upset

334 2.3

A choice or plan that will probably cause problems

201 1.0

Unlucky events that happen by chance

bad person
  • Offensive
154 1.6

A person who harms others on purpose or does wrong things

bad boy
  • Informal
118 6.1

A man who breaks rules and seems exciting but causes trouble

73 2.4

A choice that is not good and causes problems later

71 3.6

A sense that something bad may happen

50 1.0

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

36 4.1

An unpleasant feeling that stays after something rude or upsetting

34 2.5

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

bad blood
  • Informal
32 4.8

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

27 5.3

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

bad apple
  • Informal
25 4.4

A person in a group who causes trouble for others

20 3.4

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

Big Bad Wolf
  • Literature
18 3.2

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

16 6.5

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

bad check
  • Specialized
16 3.5

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

bad hair day
  • Informal
14 4.6

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

14 1.6

Rude behavior that breaks normal social rules

bad debt
  • Specialized
11 4.1

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

bad egg
  • Offensive
7 5.6

A person who cannot be trusted and may lie or steal

5 3.7

People who can make you behave badly or get into trouble

5 3.7

A disappointing finish to a story, event, or experience

5 4.4

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

4 7.2

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

3 3.9

Poor lighting that makes it hard to see

2 5.4

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

the bad place
  • Informal
2 8.7

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

2 4.6

A purchase or deal that leaves you worse off

bad touch
  • Offensive
2 9.0

Unwanted physical contact that makes someone feel scared or uncomfortable

bad fairy
  • Literature
2 7.4

A fairy who wants to harm people or cause trouble

big and bad
  • Informal
2 6.8

Very large and so strong that it scares or impresses people

bad boy image
  • Informal
1 6.3

An attractive look of not following rules, often in men

1 3.3

Not polite when you are with other people

1 6.8

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

bad hat
  • Offensive
1 8.3

A person who causes trouble on purpose or acts dishonestly

bad actor
  • Specialized
1 8.1

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

bad block
  • Specialized
1 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 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

How Sorry

contrite
13 8.1
remorseful
18 4.6
bad
684 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.