bad apple

American  

noun

Informal.

1. a discontented, troublemaking, or dishonest person.

   In any group of average citizens there are bound to be a few bad apples.

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Etymology

Origin of bad apple

From the proverb “one bad apple spoils the barrel”

Example Sentences

My husband is with me in kicking Mia out and telling his relatives to stuff it but thinks Mia was just one bad apple and argues that our other tenants worked out pretty well.

From Slate

“This is a unique opportunity to help restore some faith” in a criminal legal and law enforcement system that’s hurt itself by repeatedly failing to deal with “bad apple” officers, he said.

From Seattle Times

“The culture here in Jacksonville, in Duval County … we don’t have a bad apple, we have a bad apple orchard,” attorney Harry Daniels said.

From Seattle Times

“There’s been some good players that have left, but they’ve done a really good job of getting rid of the bad apples. There’s not, I don’t know how you want to call it, a cancer or a bad apple or somebody rotting the bucket in the locker room. Every single player in the locker room is a good person and a great football player, and I think that’s extremely important.”

From Washington Times

“They say one bad apple spoils the whole bunch,” Lee said.

From Seattle Times