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.
That could be bad news for oil suppliers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
That’s the good news, the bad news and the in-between news.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
"It is very bad news," he told journalist.
From Barron's ● Jul. 25, 2026
Delays are bad news in the AI world.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
But that afternoon, as I’m putting Mister Pugsly into his harness, I get some bad news.
From "Shine!" by J.J. and Chris Grabenstein
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.
