badge
Americannoun
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a special or distinctive mark, token, or device worn as a sign of allegiance, membership, authority, achievement, etc..
a police badge;
a merit badge.
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any emblem, token, or distinctive mark.
He thinks rich people buy art mainly as a badge of their sophistication and success.
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a card bearing identifying information, as one's name, symbol or place of employment, or academic affiliation, and often worn pinned to one's clothing.
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Digital Technology. digital badge.
verb (used with object)
noun
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a distinguishing emblem or mark worn to signify membership, employment, achievement, etc
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any revealing feature or mark
Usage
What does badge mean? A badge is a small object or card used to identify oneself in an official way. Most commonly, badge refers to the small metal medallion worn or carried by police officers or other law enforcement members. They’re often shaped like shields or stars. Badge also commonly refers to the official identification card of a worker, especially one that’s pinned to their clothing or worn on a lanyard or cord around their neck. Such badges are often used for security purposes—having a badge allows a worker to enter the building or access certain parts of it. Example: You pull another stunt like that and I’ll have you turn in your badge, Officer Hotshot!
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of badge
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English baggys (plural); akin to Anglo-French bage “badge, emblem”; further origin unknown
Explanation
Police officers wear a badge — a shiny piece of metal that lets you know they're cops. Badges can also be metaphors — for example, a scar could considered be a badge of honor. Police officers are the best-known badge-wearers, but lots of employees — especially federal employees — have to wear some kind of badge to work. The badge lets other people know who you are and what you do. Other kinds of badges are not so official. If a football player broke his leg during a big game, the cast could be called a "badge of honor," because of his playing and his toughness. All badges let others know who you are and why you're important.
Vocabulary lists containing badge
"Glencoe Accounting: Real-World Applications & Connections," Vocabulary from Chapter 12
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English Language Development Texts, Unit 2
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Girl Scouts Lingo
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“Merciless” was one of his favorite words, and it soon became a badge of honor.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
A photo on social media from before 2014 shows him in Ukrainian police uniform, with a badge identifying him as a traffic policeman.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
After much criticism, Spotify has launched a new certification badge, “Verified by Spotify.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 9, 2026
Fishing for my press badge, I spotted a trio of anti-Trump protesters holding handmade signs outside an entrance to the House of Representatives.
From Slate ● Jun. 5, 2026
“Apparently they do have them. Bunny was in the Boy Scouts and his troop went in and was fingerprinted for some kind of Law Enforcement badge, years ago. They’re still on file somewhere.”
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
Large banners hanging from trees, T-shirts, badges and stickers also bore the slogan.
From Barron's ● May 23, 2026
Stier also co-created the Little Engines project, a family engagement and early literacy program that uses an app to help families track reading time and complete activity badges.
From Salon ● Apr. 26, 2026
"It's clear there are a lot of ex‑black players but not a lot of ex‑black coaches. Are they doing their coaching badges? Yes, they are. Are they applying for jobs? Yes, they are," Cole said.
From BBC ● Apr. 16, 2026
The waiting list for Masters tickets has been closed for decades and patron badges are passed down through families like heirlooms.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 12, 2026
Some wore Stannis's flaming heart, some Joffrey's stag-and-lion, some other badges, but it seemed to make no matter.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
Given the geopolitical terrain, North American buyers may see their first solid-state BEVs badged as Toyotas.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 28, 2026
As for the "verified" dead, a few users have pointed out that some were badged anew without the consent of their estates or loved ones.
From Salon ● Apr. 25, 2023
During the pandemic, some badged employees were able to work from home, or relocated to other airports.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 9, 2021
"Today, it would be badged and branded by a celebrity chef, which just wouldn't be the same."
From BBC ● May 23, 2021
I don't suppose our "shag"-fumes seem as sweet to them as to us others; But—well, they do not treat us here as badged machines, but human brothers.
From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 105, July 8th 1893 by Various
PS: The Nightshade suffix refers to an exterior trim grade that bundles together the blacked-out grille, badging, 20-inch wheels, mirror caps, door handles, roof pillars and lower rear bumper.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 4, 2025
"The blue ticks on these accounts tell us one thing we already knew: X's pay-for-play badging is just a revenue generator and not a serious verification effort."
From BBC ● Nov. 24, 2025
Without its badging, the Stinger would be mistaken for a premium sport sedan by anyone who drove it or saw it passing by.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 12, 2023
Netflix employees were badging out of the Icon, the streaming giant’s cantilevered glass tower.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2022
The "badging" of beggars was a favourite scheme of Swift's for the better regulation of the many who infested the city of Dublin as tramps and idlers.
From The Prose Works of Jonathan Swift, D.D. - Volume 07 Historical and Political Tracts-Irish by Scott, Temple
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
