bad news
Americannoun
noun
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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]
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The amount charged for something, as in Waiter, bring our check—I want to see the bad news . [ Slang ; 1920s]
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.
This could be bad news for Bournemouth though, with Rayan heavily linked with Liverpool, managed by former Cherries boss Andoni Iraola.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
"The bad news is, we are on track for Permian-Triassic levels of warming in worst-case scenario projections," said Sperling.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 12, 2026
There’s some bad news if you’re thinking about looking abroad instead.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 7, 2026
The outlook for spirits companies in the U.S. is very murky, but the bad news is priced in.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026
But that afternoon, as I’m putting Mister Pugsly into his harness, I get some bad news.
From "Shine!" by J.J. and Chris Grabenstein
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.
