badge
Americannoun
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a special or distinctive mark, token, or device worn as a sign of allegiance, membership, authority, achievement, etc..
a police badge;
a merit badge.
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any emblem, token, or distinctive mark.
He thinks rich people buy art mainly as a badge of their sophistication and success.
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a card bearing identifying information, as one's name, symbol or place of employment, or academic affiliation, and often worn pinned to one's clothing.
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Digital Technology. digital badge.
verb (used with object)
noun
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a distinguishing emblem or mark worn to signify membership, employment, achievement, etc
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any revealing feature or mark
Usage
What does badge mean? A badge is a small object or card used to identify oneself in an official way. Most commonly, badge refers to the small metal medallion worn or carried by police officers or other law enforcement members. They’re often shaped like shields or stars. Badge also commonly refers to the official identification card of a worker, especially one that’s pinned to their clothing or worn on a lanyard or cord around their neck. Such badges are often used for security purposes—having a badge allows a worker to enter the building or access certain parts of it. Example: You pull another stunt like that and I’ll have you turn in your badge, Officer Hotshot!
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of badge
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English baggys (plural); akin to Anglo-French bage “badge, emblem”; further origin unknown
Explanation
Police officers wear a badge — a shiny piece of metal that lets you know they're cops. Badges can also be metaphors — for example, a scar could considered be a badge of honor. Police officers are the best-known badge-wearers, but lots of employees — especially federal employees — have to wear some kind of badge to work. The badge lets other people know who you are and what you do. Other kinds of badges are not so official. If a football player broke his leg during a big game, the cast could be called a "badge of honor," because of his playing and his toughness. All badges let others know who you are and why you're important.
Vocabulary lists containing badge
"Glencoe Accounting: Real-World Applications & Connections," Vocabulary from Chapter 12
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English Language Development Texts, Unit 2
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Girl Scouts Lingo
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Just a few months ago, it was a badge of honor to be using AI so much that you spent a lot on tokens.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026
The former social mobility minister said she believed not having the right accent was still too often a barrier to progress, adding: "A regional accent must never be seen as a badge of shame."
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026
After much criticism, Spotify has launched a new certification badge, “Verified by Spotify.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 9, 2026
Fishing for my press badge, I spotted a trio of anti-Trump protesters holding handmade signs outside an entrance to the House of Representatives.
From Slate ● Jun. 5, 2026
He pointed at an ID badge clipped to his belt.
From "City Spies" by James Ponti
In April, in the Target parking lot, Walker said three federal immigration agents, wearing badges, exited their vehicles and approached her car on foot.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
Kelley Blue Book and Autotrader, for example, temporarily removed badges declaring certain cars “Good Price” or “Great Price.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026
It said the process would prioritise acts with "important contributions to music culture and history", rather than "content farms," with the platform rolling out verification and badges over the coming weeks.
From BBC ● May 1, 2026
Stier also co-created the Little Engines project, a family engagement and early literacy program that uses an app to help families track reading time and complete activity badges.
From Salon ● Apr. 26, 2026
All were released pending an investigation, but we learned the next day that Sing Sing had demanded their badges.
From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover
Given the geopolitical terrain, North American buyers may see their first solid-state BEVs badged as Toyotas.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 28, 2026
As for the "verified" dead, a few users have pointed out that some were badged anew without the consent of their estates or loved ones.
From Salon ● Apr. 25, 2023
During the pandemic, some badged employees were able to work from home, or relocated to other airports.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 9, 2021
"Today, it would be badged and branded by a celebrity chef, which just wouldn't be the same."
From BBC ● May 23, 2021
Public servants we are, badged and numbered, bound to do work by fixed rule and charge, so what I say is that you should treat us accordingly.
From Christmas Penny Readings Original Sketches for the Season by Fenn, George Manville
PS: The Nightshade suffix refers to an exterior trim grade that bundles together the blacked-out grille, badging, 20-inch wheels, mirror caps, door handles, roof pillars and lower rear bumper.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 4, 2025
For the upcoming talks in Dubai, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which organizes COPs, has changed its badging process to be more transparent.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 8, 2023
A badging factory which was creating fake designer logos to fix on unbranded clothing has been raided by police.
From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2023
Netflix employees were badging out of the Icon, the streaming giant’s cantilevered glass tower.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2022
It has been getting skilled men back from the trenches, and advising the Ministry as to the "badging" of munition workers.
From The War on All Fronts: England's Effort Letters to an American Friend by Choate, Joseph Hodges
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
