bad news
What nobody wants
Bad news is information about something unpleasant or unfortunate: I'm afraid I have bad news about your test results.
As a noun phrase describing a person or thing, bad news means trouble or a source of problems: Stay away from him—he's bad news.
The good news/bad news pattern sets up contrasting information: The good news is we found your car; the bad news is it's totaled.
- tragedyDisastrous or sorrowful event
- setbackReverse in progress
- calamitySevere misfortune or disaster
- disappointmentSadness from unmet expectations
- brace yourselfPrepare for impact
we need to talk · catastrophe · misfortune · disaster · worst case scenario · bearer · adversity · hardship · omen · problem · affliction · dilemma · pink slip · diagnosis · announcement · grief · sorry for your loss · headline
- bummersletdown, setback, downer, buzzkill, disappointment
- harsh realitiesbitter truth, hard truth, harsh truth, home truth, reality check
- Awkward Topicsawkward silence, TMI, oversharing, taboo subject
- letdownsletdown, disappointment, anticlimax, dud, flop
- negativitynegativity, pessimism, cynicism, criticism, complaint
- sleep problemsinsomnia, sleep apnea, night terrors, hypersomnia, nightmares
bad newsgood news
Favorable information received
happy news · glad tidings · good tidings · silver lining · relief
bad, news, newspaper, newness, newsletter, newsy, newscaster, newscast, baddest