badass

[ bad-as ]

/ ˈbædˌæs /

Slang: Vulgar.

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adjective Also bad·assed .

(of a person) difficult to deal with; mean-tempered and sometimes violent.

so tough, assertive, or independent as to be somewhat intimidating: He is one badass sheriff who stops at nothing to solve a mystery.

awesome or impressive; worthy of admiration: badass American sports cars;a bluegrass band with a badass fiddler.

noun

a mean-tempered troublemaker.

a somewhat intimidating person who is tough, assertive, or independent: She’s a corporate badass who knows her worth.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of badass

First recorded in 1950–55; bad¹ + ass²

Words nearby badass

Badajoz, Badakhshan, Badalona, bad apple, Badarian, badass, Badb, bad bank, bad blood, bad cholesterol, bad conduct discharge

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use badass in a sentence

“The Mandalorian’s Cara Dune Is The Feminist Badass We Needed From Star Wars,” read a 2019 headline from the entertainment website PopSugar.
Gina Carano is off ‘The Mandalorian’ over ‘abhorrent and unacceptable’ social media posts, Lucasfilm says|Timothy Bella|February 11, 2021|Washington Post
Every year, Apple sells us on its most expensive and badass products.
Why I Prefer the Apple Watch SE to the Series 6|Jakob Schiller|January 20, 2021|Outside Online
We now have a chance to “close the loop,” from thought to movement to touch and back to thought, and make some badass robots along the way.
This Is How We’ll Engineer Artificial Touch|Shelly Fan|November 17, 2020|Singularity Hub
Had he stopped with that and walked off, it would have been irresponsible, sure, but also badass.
There is plenty of happiness in college football — if you know where to look|Chuck Culpepper|November 9, 2020|Washington Post

As a small and nimble team, we were able to pivot quickly, but to do it on-brand and at an elevated level required all hands on deck—and hiring a badass creative director to bring our vision to life.
Canned wine might have been primed for socializing in the era of social distancing|Rachel King|November 8, 2020|Fortune
This is a new version of Catman, his past is yet to be told, but an ordeal made him not just badass, but flawed, deeply flawed.
Gail Simone’s Bisexual Catman and the ‘Secret Six’|Rich Goldstein|December 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Daily Beast spoke to Dormer about her badass new role and all things Game of Thrones.
Natalie Dormer Talks ‘Hunger Games,’ Feminism, and Why ‘Game of Thrones’ Needs More Dick|Marlow Stern|November 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It can happen to the guy playing a badass on Sons of Anarchy.
Ron Perlman's Secret Suicide Attempt|William O’Connor|October 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She is a badass who can take down any opponent that stands in her way, regardless of gender.
Bayonetta Is Nintendo’s Graphic, Ass-Kicking Barbie|Alec Kubas-Meyer|October 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
All that, and, Jonas tells me, “overall I thought it was just really badass.”
Nick Jonas Is All Grown Up, Clutching His Penis and Everything|Kevin Fallon|October 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST

British Dictionary definitions for badass

badass

/ (ˈbædˌæs) slang, mainly US /

noun

a tough or aggressive personthe meanest badass in town

adjective

tough or aggressivea badass rock band

excellenta real badass watch

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

badass

Origin of badass

Words nearby badass

Words related to badass

How to use badass in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for badass