bad seed
Rotten from birth
A bad seed is a person, especially a child, believed to be inherently flawed or destined to cause trouble—as if corruption were planted at birth.
The phrase suggests nature over nurture: Every family has a bad seed.
It often describes someone whose wrongdoing seems inexplicable given their upbringing: He came from a good home, but he was a bad seed.
Failing in duty
- rogueDishonest or uncontrolled agent
- miscreantEvildoer or villain
- black sheepDisreputable family member
- ne'er-do-wellIrresponsible, idle person
scoundrel · reprobate · wrongdoer · malefactor · juvenile delinquent · problem child · wayward · outcast
Science of hereditary transmission
- bloodlineAncestry through generations
- lineageDescent from progenitors
- ancestryFamily line of descent
- inheritanceProperty received from ancestors
family curse · nature · predisposition · pedigree · descent · parentage · offspring · progeny
Plant disease causing decay
- sterileFree from microorganisms
- barrenUnable to produce
- infertileUnable to produce offspring
- rottenDecomposed or corrupt
defective · dud · unviable · crop failure · germination · planting · harvest · yield
Invoked harm through words
- jinxCurse bringing misfortune
- harbingerOne who foreshadows
- ill-fatedDestined to fail
- doomedDestined for destruction
unlucky · ill-omened · portent · foreboding · boding · hex · accursed · star-crossed
delinquent
Failing in duty
- rogueDishonest or uncontrolled agent
- miscreantEvildoer or villain
- black sheepDisreputable family member
ne'er-do-well · scoundrel · reprobate · wrongdoer · malefactor · juvenile delinquent · problem child · wayward · outcast · prodigal
genetics
Science of hereditary transmission
inheritance · family curse · nature · predisposition · pedigree · descent · parentage · offspring · progeny · spawn
blight
Plant disease causing decay
rotten · defective · dud · unviable · crop failure · germination · planting · harvest · yield · hybrid
curse
Invoked harm through words
doomed · unlucky · ill-omened · portent · foreboding · boding · hex · accursed · star-crossed · blighted
- bad boysrebel, rogue, troublemaker, delinquent, rascal
- bad girlsbaddie, mean girl, villainess, she-devil, troublemaker
- troublemakerstroublemaker, rascals, delinquents, imps, brats
- body idiomsheart of gold, heart of stone, cold heart, warm heart, soft heart
bad seedgood egg
Dependable, kindhearted person
pure soul · angel · saint · golden child · innocent
bad seedgolden child
Family's most favored member
chip off the old block · favorite son · crown jewel · prodigal son · heir apparent
bad seedgolden child
Family's most favored member
wonder child · prodigy · rising star · late bloomer · natural talent
bad, badly, badness, seed, seeds, seeded, seeding, seedling, seedlings