bad news

American  

noun

Informal.

1. an annoying, disturbing, unwelcome thing or person; nuisance; troublemaker.

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bad news British  

noun

1. slang someone or something regarded as undesirable

   he's bad news around here

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bad news Idioms  

1. 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]

2. The amount charged for something, as in Waiter, bring our check—I want to see the bad news . [ Slang ; 1920s]

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Example Sentences

First, the bad news: “Snowcrete” is the treacherous ice that results when rain, imprecise or nonexistent plowing and insufficient salting turn what was once fluffy white snow into a dense and dirty scourge.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Give it to me straight, Doc, I can take it,” is a classic comedic setup for the delivery of bad news that, more often than not, has an outcome that’s far different than expected.

From Barron's

“Give it to me straight, Doc, I can take it,” is a classic comedic setup for the delivery of bad news that, more often than not, has an outcome that’s far different than expected.

From Barron's

A stronger euro is not all bad news -- it boosts household spending power, at home and on holidays overseas.

From Barron's

If some traders see Warsh as bad news for crypto, that thinking is hard to understand.

From Barron's