Meanings
- uncountableNews of unpleasant, unfortunate or sad events.
Yes, we just heard the bad news yesterday. We're so sorry for your loss.
2 more examples
One of the rules of journalism is that news from Africa is always bad news.
2008 August 5, Alex Perry, “Good News: Gorillas Thrive”, in TimeThe mainstream media hones in on bad news stories where UK railways are concerned, yet gives scant attention to the many items of good news emerging from the network.
2021 December 29, Stephen Roberts, “Stories and facts behind railway plaques: Aylesbury (2009)”, in RAIL, number 947, page 61Antonyms: good news
- idiomaticuncountableAn irritating, troublesome or harmful object, situation or individual.
Mark my words: that guy is bad news.
1 more example
Many are warning Spears that he is bad news and is trying to use her.
2008 January 12, Lynda Johnson, “Nude Photos: Britney Spears 5150 Leads to Paparazzi Picture Sale”, in National Ledger, retrieved 10 Oct 2008Synonyms: bad business, bad apple, rotten apple, bad seed, bad egg · Antonyms: good news, breath of fresh air, good egg
Synonyms & antonyms
nounNews of unpleasant, unfortunate or sad events.
nounAn irritating, troublesome or harmful object, situation or individual.
Translations
Basque berri txarrak
- berri txarraknews of unpleasant, unfortunate or sad events
Chinese Mandarin 壞消息 /坏消息
- 壞消息 /坏消息 (huài xiāoxi)news of unpleasant, unfortunate or sad events
Dutch slecht nieuws, jobstijding
- slecht nieuwsnews of unpleasant, unfortunate or sad events
- jobstijdingnews of unpleasant, unfortunate or sad events
- onheilsberichtnews of unpleasant, unfortunate or sad events
- onheilsmarenews of unpleasant, unfortunate or sad events
- onheilstijdingnews of unpleasant, unfortunate or sad events
- slecht nieuwsirritating, troublesome of harmful thing, situation or person
Finnish huonot uutiset
- huonot uutisetnews of unpleasant, unfortunate or sad events
French mauvaises nouvelles, casse-pied
- mauvaises nouvellesnews of unpleasant, unfortunate or sad events
- casse-piedirritating, troublesome of harmful thing, situation or person
- emmerdeurirritating, troublesome of harmful thing, situation or person
- emmerdementirritating, troublesome of harmful thing, situation or person
- fouteur de merdeirritating, troublesome of harmful thing, situation or person
German schlechte Nachrichten, Hiobsbotschaft
- schlechte Nachrichtennews of unpleasant, unfortunate or sad events
- Hiobsbotschaftnews of unpleasant, unfortunate or sad events
- schlechte Neuigkeitennews of unpleasant, unfortunate or sad events
- Störenfriedirritating, troublesome of harmful thing, situation or person
Hungarian rossz hír
- rossz hírnews of unpleasant, unfortunate or sad events
Irish drochscéal
- drochscéalnews of unpleasant, unfortunate or sad events
Italian brutta notizia, cattiva notizia
- brutta notizianews of unpleasant, unfortunate or sad events
- cattiva notizianews of unpleasant, unfortunate or sad events
Japanese 悪いニュース
- 悪いニュース (warui nyūsu)news of unpleasant, unfortunate or sad events
Polish złe wieści, zła wiadomość
- złe wieścinews of unpleasant, unfortunate or sad events
- zła wiadomośćnews of unpleasant, unfortunate or sad events
Portuguese má notícia, problema
- má notícianews of unpleasant, unfortunate or sad events
- problemairritating, troublesome of harmful thing, situation or person
- incomodaçãoirritating, troublesome of harmful thing, situation or person
- encrencairritating, troublesome of harmful thing, situation or person
Russian плохи́е но́вости, плоха́я но́вость
- плохи́е но́вости (ploxíje nóvosti)news of unpleasant, unfortunate or sad events
- плоха́я но́вость (ploxája nóvostʹ)news of unpleasant, unfortunate or sad events
Spanish malas noticias, embrollón
- malas noticiasnews of unpleasant, unfortunate or sad events
- embrollónirritating, troublesome of harmful thing, situation or person
- camorristairritating, troublesome of harmful thing, situation or person
Vietnamese tin buồn, tin dữ
- tin buồnnews of unpleasant, unfortunate or sad events
- tin dữnews of unpleasant, unfortunate or sad events
Cite this entry
bad news. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bad%20news
“bad news.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bad%20news. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “bad news,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bad%20news.
Source: bad news on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.