😒 Worthless or bad 👶 Illegitimate birth

bastardly

9.9

Very bad and of little value

adjective
/ˈbæstərdli/

Offensive

: infame

The villain in the story was portrayed as a bastardly character with no redeeming qualities.

Examples

What a bastardly bunch we are.

1776 (1972)
His actions during the meeting were truly bastardly, showing no respect for his colleagues.
She was disappointed to learn of his bastardly conduct; she expected better from him.

Synonyms

lousy

vsbastardly

Informal

562 4.1

Very bad or mean and not liked by people

narrows meaning to being without merit or worth rather than just poor

vile

vsbastardly

157 5.0

Very bad and morally wrong

focuses more on low worth or inferiority than moral evil

filthy

vsbastardly

86 4.1

A person or action that is very bad and dishonest

highlights poor merit or worth rather than moral vileness

mean

vsbastardly

65 4.7

Poor and in bad condition with little value

is closer to contempt and inferiority rather than just poor quality

lowly

vsbastardly

46 4.2

A person of low rank or importance, for example a servant

means being without merit or value rather than merely low status

unworthy

vsbastardly

Offensive

20 5.4

Deserves strong blame or dislike

casts it as having little merit or worth instead of just blame

contemptible

vsbastardly

Offensive

15 7.4

Very bad and makes people feel angry or disgusted

is about lacking value or worth rather than only evoking scorn

wretched

vsbastardly

Offensive

15 7.1

Very bad in a moral way and deserving strong blame

stresses lack of merit or worth rather than moral severity

low-down

vsbastardly

Offensive

8 7.4

Very mean or dishonest in a way people dislike

emphasizes low quality or worth rather than moral failing

scummy

vsbastardly

Offensive

6 8.0

Very dishonest or cruel in a way that makes people feel disgusted

points instead to being of little value or merit

inglorious

vsbastardly

3 7.5

Causing shame and loss of respect

is more about being inferior in value than causing loss of honour

ungentlemanly

vsbastardly

1 7.0

Rude or unfair behavior that shows little respect for others

is about being contemptible or of little worth rather than mere rudeness

ill-bred

vsbastardly

Offensive

1 7.1

Rude and showing bad manners

is stronger, implying contemptible worth rather than simple rudeness

underbred

vsbastardly

Offensive

1 9.3

Showing poor manners and not acting politely around others

refers to low merit or worth rather than upbringing alone

base

vsbastardly

Offensive

7.9

Showing low moral quality, not honest or noble

focuses more on being inferior in value than immoral conduct

meanspirited

vsbastardly

Offensive

7.4

Unkind and petty in a way that hurts other people

is broader, denoting low merit or worth rather than mean behaviour

Antonyms

valuable

526 2.5

Very useful and important, for example advice or skills

meritorious

9 7.5

Worthy of praise or reward for good work

Compounds

bastardly gullion

Offensive

9.9

A mean, dishonest person who takes more than they should

How Contemptible

vile

157 5.0

despicable

Offensive

95 5.7

bastardly

Offensive

9.9

contemptible

Offensive

15 7.4

mean

699 2.2

Surface Forms

bastardly positive

Morphology

bastardly = bastard (transparent) = bastard + ly

Formed by the noun 'bastard' + adjectival suffix '-ly'; learners who know the insult can infer 'bastardly' as 'contemptible' or 'like a bastard'.

Etymology

Bastardly comes from the word bastard, which itself comes from an old word bast meaning 'pack-saddle'. Because bastard once named a child born outside marriage and later became an insult for someone 'worthless', bastardly can mean 'contemptible' or 'of no value'.