bad faith
Americannoun
noun
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intention to deceive; treachery or dishonesty (esp in the phrase in bad faith )
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Also called: mauvaise foi. (in the philosophy of the 20th-century French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre) self-deception, as when an agent regards his actions as conditioned by circumstances or conventions in order to evade his own responsibility for choosing them freely
Other Word Forms
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.
“Either bad faith or fiscal responsibility, depending on the budget that year,” Groban said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 6, 2026
The company accused Wilson of negotiating in bad faith after he proposed new terms, which it called “numerous new demands.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 2026
Unionized Post-Gazette editorial staff have been on strike since October 2022, pushing for better wages and healthcare benefits and accusing the company of years of bargaining in bad faith.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 7, 2026
"I must also stress that some tweets have been completely misunderstood, seemingly in bad faith," he added.
From Barron's ● Dec. 29, 2025
“Yes, you’re right,” Jaime would grudgingly admit with a rectitude that prevented him from arguing in bad faith.
From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende
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.
