bad news
HighInformal to neutral
Definition
Meaning
Information about an unpleasant, unfortunate, or undesirable event or situation.
Can refer directly to a person who habitually causes problems or brings trouble. The phrase can also imply an outcome or development that is fundamentally negative or unwelcome.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Functions as a compound noun. It can be used both literally (reporting specific negative information) and figuratively (describing a troublesome person or situation).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both varieties use the phrase identically in core meaning. The use of 'bad news' to describe a troublesome person is slightly more established in American English, though fully understood in British English.
Connotations
Identical in both. Strongly negative. The phrase often carries an emotional weight of disappointment, anxiety, or inevitability.
Frequency
Equally high in both dialects. A very common, idiomatic phrase.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
VERB + bad news (deliver/receive/hear/get bad news)bad news + PREP + NOUN (bad news for investors)bad news + VERB (bad news travels fast)bad news + that-CLAUSE (the bad news that the project was cancelled)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Bad news travels fast.”
- “Don't shoot the messenger (who brings the bad news).”
- “No news is good news (implies the opposite).”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"The quarterly results are bad news for our shareholders."
Academic
"The latest data from the climate study is unequivocally bad news."
Everyday
"I'm afraid I have some bad news about your car."
Technical
"The diagnostic error code is bad news for the engine's longevity."
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The weather forecast is bad news for our picnic.
- I got some bad news from my friend today.
- The doctor had bad news about the test results.
- Missing the last train is really bad news.
- The new regulations are nothing but bad news for small businesses.
- He's fun, but he's also bad news when it comes to keeping secrets.
- Despite the prevailing bad news, market analysts detected a glimmer of optimism in the underlying data.
- Politically, he was considered bad news, a liability the party could ill afford.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a newspaper with a huge, bold headline saying 'BAD NEWS' – it instantly signals something you don't want to read.
Conceptual Metaphor
NEGATIVE INFORMATION IS A HEAVY BURDEN / A CONTAMINANT. (e.g., 'bear the bad news', 'the bad news weighed on him', 'the market was infected by bad news').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid the calque "плохие новости" when referring to a troublesome person; use "проблемный человек" or "неудачник".
- The phrase is often singular in English ('bad news is'), while the Russian equivalent "плохие новости" is grammatically plural.
Common Mistakes
- Using a plural verb incorrectly (e.g., 'The bad news are...' instead of 'The bad news is...').
- Confusing 'bad news' (negative information) with 'bad news' (a person) without sufficient context.
Practice
Quiz
In which context can 'bad news' refer directly to a person?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is always treated as singular, despite ending in '-s'. Correct: 'The bad news IS disappointing.' Incorrect: 'The bad news ARE disappointing.'
No. 'News' is an uncountable noun. You cannot say 'a bad news'. Instead, say 'some bad news', 'a piece of bad news', or 'the bad news'.
There isn't a direct opposite idiom, but 'No news is good news' implies that a lack of information (news) is preferable to receiving bad news.
Yes, it is highly negative and informal. It means the person is likely to cause trouble, drama, or harm. It should be used cautiously, if at all.