bad news

noun

plural in form but singular in construction
: one that is troublesome, unwelcome, or dangerous
stay away from him, he's bad news

Examples of bad news in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
While effective, bad news is not what Saldaña plays during her workouts. — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 2 Aug. 2026 Fans should embrace the fact that there’s been no bad news through the first three days of practice. — Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 1 Aug. 2026 That is clearly very bad news, although not entirely unexpected given the current state of the whiskey industry and the trajectory that the company has been on over the past couple of years. — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 31 July 2026 Some of this may be bad news for the country, but for Democrats, eager to win back majorities in the House and the Senate, the sequence of events leading up to the 2026 midterm election could create opportunities. — Justin Papp, CNBC, 26 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for bad news

Word History

First Known Use

1917, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bad news was in 1917

Rhymes for bad news

See All Rhymes for bad news

Browse Nearby Words

badness
bad news
bad off
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bad news.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bad%20news. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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