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bad

bad

70 7.5
Not likely to be paid back as a debt
  • adjective
  • /bæd/
  • Specialized
: incobrable
  • Both of these companies are on a very bad trajectory with cash flow management.
  • bad debt
  • bad loans
  • bad debt expense

Of course people are losing money on bad investments or bad.

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Examples

  • And we had no credit, bad credit and no money for a down payment.

  • Because you made a bad deal.

  • You made a bad investment.

  • Why do I have to have bad credit?

  • Now, let's discuss this bad business loan.

  • If you don't succeed, a bad real estate deal could put you out of business.

  • The tax can set a bad precedent that will unleash a world trade war.

    Academic text (1992)
  • Consequently, South Korea suffered even more bad loans than Japan, in stark contrast to Taiwan.

    Academic text (2004)
  • Bad credit or no credit, Martindale Motors will make sure you walk out of our lot with a new set of wheels, and we won't bend you over a barrel.

  • Investing in that company seemed risky because they had bad debt levels.

Synonyms

risky
vsbad
321 3.6

Likely to cause loss, harm, or danger

applies specifically to unpaid financial obligations rather than general danger
high-risk
vsbad
148 4.4

Likely to cause big loss or danger

is risky but less likely to cause very large loss
speculative
vsbad
  • Specialized
15 7.3

Risky and likely to lose money while aiming for quick profit

is about debt payment risk, not risky investment ventures
unsound
vsbad
  • Specialized
3 6.2

Likely to cause financial loss or money problems

focuses on payment likelihood rather than broad financial instability
uncollectible
vsbad
  • Specialized
1 7.3

Money that cannot be collected from the person who owes it

is likely unpaid but possibly recoverable

Antonyms

secure
  • Specialized
16 4.7

A safe place for money that is unlikely to lose value

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 Risky

precarious
46 7.6
bad
  • Specialized
70 7.5
secure
  • Specialized
16 4.7

Surface Forms

bad positive
worse comparative
worst superlative

Etymology

Bad first meant 'not good', and this idea was used in money matters for debts that were 'no good'. That is why a 'bad' loan is one that is risky or unlikely to be paid back.