badass

American  

[bad-as] / ˈbædˌæs /

adjective

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

2. so tough, assertive, or independent as to be somewhat intimidating.

   He is one badass sheriff who stops at nothing to solve a mystery.

3. awesome or impressive; worthy of admiration: a bluegrass band with a badass fiddler.

   badass American sports cars;

   a bluegrass band with a badass fiddler.

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noun

• badasses
  plural

1. a mean-tempered troublemaker.

2. a somewhat intimidating person who is tough, assertive, or independent.

   She’s a corporate badass who knows her worth.

badass British  

/ ˈbædˌæs /

noun

1. a tough or aggressive person

   the meanest badass in town

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adjective

1. tough or aggressive

   a badass rock band

2. excellent

   a real badass watch

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• badasses
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of badass

First recorded in 1950–55; bad ¹ + ass ²

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

badass badasses

“What’s the most badass, futuristic, armored personnel carrier that kicks the ass of any pickup truck? Basically, that’s the goal,” Musk told investors in 2020.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

Enough time has passed between the prequels and the present that Anakin can be presented as a brooding badass.

From Salon ● Nov. 3, 2026

"I think because I'm playing such a badass, I think he's going to love that we used his song in that particular moment in the show," she said.

From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026

“They didn’t even need lyrics — that’s how badass this band is,” he pointed out.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

Before I met her here at Maldonado’s, I only knew her as the neighboring school district’s badass hockey star who would periodically get mentioned in small-town gossip.

From "Ask the Passengers" by A.S. King

“That’s the thing about being a Raider, they’re badasses on the field, but they’re kittens off the field.”

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 15, 2022

They’re all badasses and we’re each other’s listening board.

From New York Times ● May 20, 2022

These would-be badasses of “Succession” can be hilarious to eavesdrop on.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 2, 2021

And to keep lighting that for generations to come, mis hijas y mis nietas, until the time all Latinas and indigenous women are seen for the queens and badasses we've always known we are.

From Salon ● Jan. 26, 2020

And of course, the kids—some adorable, and some badasses.

From "The Boy in the Black Suit" by Jason Reynolds

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