bad news
Americannoun
noun
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An unwelcome thing or person, trouble. For example, That fire was bad news; we were underinsured for the damage , or No one wants Mary on the board—she's bad news . This term transfers literal bad news—the report of an unhappy recent event—to an unwanted or undesirable individual or circumstance. [ Slang ; 1920s]
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The amount charged for something, as in Waiter, bring our check—I want to see the bad news . [ Slang ; 1920s]
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.
In addition to their impact on health, higher temperatures are bad news for the economy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
"The bad news is, we are on track for Permian-Triassic levels of warming in worst-case scenario projections," said Sperling.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 12, 2026
There’s some bad news if you’re thinking about looking abroad instead.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 7, 2026
"In the world that we're living in, there's always bad news everywhere, it's nice to see a bit of positivity. I said that to him after."
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
I knew the minute Rolf stepped through the door that bad news was weighing him down.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
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.
