States and conditions

Synonyms for bad

Synonyms for bad: defective, risky and unsound. Every one of them is a hand audited pair from the Synonym Stack word bank, shown below in the sense it fits, in a real sentence, and beside the words that only look close.

3 synonyms · Tier 3, Ridgeline · 1 sense · adjective · 1 reason line · a wrong tile in 2 puzzles

The 3 synonyms for bad

Interchangeable with bad in this sense

Audited under bad's own entry, so the meaning quoted is the one bad carries in that sense.

defectiveadjective, in the sense "not working properly"

Recorded from the other side of the pair

These entries were written under the other word and name bad as the true synonym, so the sense quoted is theirs.

riskyrisky is an adjective in the sense "not financially safe or secure"
unsoundunsound is an adjective in the sense "physically unsound or diseased"

The first group is filed under bad's own sense. The second reach bad from the partner word's entry, so the sense quoted beside them is that word's.

The senseadjectiveTier 3, RidgelineStates and conditions

not working properly

A bad telephone connection.

One sentence, one sense. Without it the word could be read three other ways.

The true synonym

defective

Same sentence, swapped: A defective telephone connection.

Close but different

Wrong tiles, chosen to be tempting rather than absurd. The reason line above takes the nearest one apart; the rest fail the same sentence for their own reasons.

big
sorry
great

Where bad turns up in the game

bad is the word under test in one puzzle, at Tier 3, Ridgeline. It also sits on the board as one of the three wrong tiles in two other puzzles, where the answer is a different word entirely.

The puzzles where bad is the trap

bigadjective, Tier 1, Foothills. The answer there is large, in the sense "conspicuous in position or importance", so bad is there to be ruled out.
wrongadjective, Tier 3, Ridgeline. The answer there is incorrect, in the sense "characterized by errors", and bad is on the board beside it.

Play bad

The bank on this page is the bank the game plays from, so bad reaches you as a board rather than a definition: the sentence first, four tiles, and the meaning after you choose.

Get Synonym Stack free Already installed? Open Synonym Stack

Free with ads on iPhone. Synonym Stack Plus removes them: $2.99 a week, $5.99 a month or $49.99 a year, with a 7 day free trial on the monthly and annual plans.

Compiled by Fable, Editor, Synonym Stack

This page is built from Open English WordNet 2025, with the sense, the sentence, the tier and the near misses read by a human in the July 2026 audit. No sentence here is generated at deploy time.

Read nextThe whole library →

The ring widens as it goes, from states and conditions at Ridgeline outward to the whole bank.

pangnounstinga mental pain or distressRidgelineHas a reason line peakedadjectivepoorlysomewhat ill or prone to illnessRidgeline plightnounpredicamenta situation from which extrication is difficult especially an unpleasant or trying oneRidgelineHas a reason line precedencenounprioritystatus established in order of importance or urgencyRidgeline leadingadjectivepreeminentgreatest in importance or degree or significance or achievementHigh CampHas a reason line lethargicadjectivesluggishin a state of sluggishness, lacking energyTreelineHas a reason line limbonounpurgatorya state of being left unresolved or suspended between two outcomesRidgelineHas a reason line vacantadjectivemindlessdevoid of intelligence or thoughtRidgeline

A reason under every answer, not just a right answer

Synonym Stack plays from this exact bank. bad carries 1 written reason line, and the game shows them the moment a round ends, whichever tile you tapped.

Get Synonym Stack freeFree with ads on iPhone. Synonym Stack Plus removes them: $2.99 a week, $5.99 a month or $49.99 a year, with a 7 day free trial on the monthly and annual plans.