Words Instead of “bad”
"Bad" is too vague to do real work in writing. Precision — whether moral, qualitative, or situational — carries far more weight.
Writing tip
Decide whether something is bad in quality, morally, or in outcome. Each axis has its own vocabulary.
12 Alternatives to “bad”
horrifyingly bad; extremely poor in quality
deserving strong condemnation; shockingly bad
extremely bad; too bad to measure
extremely bad or unpleasant
deserving censure or condemnation
in a very unhappy or unfortunate state; of poor quality
having a harmful effect, especially in a subtle or gradual way
wicked and criminal; flagrantly evil
extremely serious or urgent; of very poor quality
made or done poorly; inferior in quality
below the expected level of quality
outstandingly bad; shockingly offensive
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