bad actor

noun

1. a mean, ill-tempered, troublemaking, or evil person.

2. a vicious animal.

3. an inveterate criminal.

Word History and Origins

Origin of bad actor¹

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

Having copies of the proprietary voting system software could allow a bad actor to study it for weaknesses and develop ways to tamper with vote counts, with minimal physical access.

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“Romance scams have become the quintessential con, wherein a bad actor manipulates their target into establishing a digital relationship via phone calls, video calls, text messages and more,” Hall said.

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“Once trust has been established, the bad actor claims to need money and coerces the victim to send funds.”

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And it was always easy to spot a bad actor.

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But there’s just something about “Paddington in Peru” that doesn’t quite connect; it’s missing a certain campy verve, the mischievous twinkle in its eye that Grant brought to his portrayal of bad actor Phoenix Buchanan in the second film.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• convict 
• crook 
• culprit 
• felon 
• fugitive 
• gangster 
• hoodlum 
• hooligan 
• lawbreaker 
• mobster 
• offender 
• thug