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.
That’s bad news for the majority of wildlife on the island that relies on native habitat, like woody shrubs.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2026
So the good and bad news are the same for you: You don’t have one of those qualifying life-changing events.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 5, 2026
“This is usually where we tell you the bad news and try to make you feel guilty,” Mr. Harrelson says.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026
The bad news boomerang of Lord Mandelson's appointment continues to whizz around and whack this government at regular intervals - and inflict ongoing headaches.
From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026
The bad news was that they were back in Maryland.
From "Chasing Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson
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.
