the bad penny always comes back

A form of a bad penny always turns up — A person or thing which is unpleasant, dishonorable, or unwanted tends to appear (or reappear), especially at inopportune times.

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Meanings

proverb
  1. alternativeAlternative form of a bad penny always turns up.
Cite this entry
APA

the bad penny always comes back. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20bad%20penny%20always%20comes%20back

MLA

“the bad penny always comes back.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20bad%20penny%20always%20comes%20back. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “the bad penny always comes back,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20bad%20penny%20always%20comes%20back.

Source: the bad penny always comes back on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.