badass

1 of 2

adjective

bad·​ass ˈbad-ˌas How to pronounce badass (audio)
1
chiefly US, informal + sometimes impolite : ready to cause or get into trouble : mean
a badass criminal who should be put away for life
… casting Henry Fonda against type as a remorseless badass gunslinger …—Laurence Phelan
2
chiefly US, informal + sometimes impolite : of formidable strength or skill
… such a badass guitar player …—N'Gai Croal

badass

2 of 2

noun

chiefly US, informal + sometimes impolite
: a person who is badass

Examples of badass 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.
Adjective
And if that wasn’t enough, Ragnarok also boasts Tessa Thompson as the sword-swinging badass Valkyrie. — Ew Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026 This one is a badass soldier/leader, who can’t stop slapping Stuart, Kripke and Bert. — Michael Schneider, Variety, 31 July 2026
Noun
Once at the house, Paula tries to be a badass by punching through a basement window with Hazel’s shirt wrapped around her fist. — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 1 July 2026 Here's a wish-fulfillment political fantasy, with Harrison Ford as a bipartisan badass every American can agree on. — Kevin P. Sullivan, Entertainment Weekly, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for badass

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1955, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1956, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of badass was in 1955

Rhymes for badass

See All Rhymes for badass

Browse Nearby Words

Badarian
badass
badassery
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Badass.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/badass. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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