badness
Lack of virtue
Badness is the quality of being bad—poor in quality, morally wrong, or harmful.
The word covers everything from minor flaws to serious evil: the badness of the food, the badness of his behavior.
In casual speech, badness can carry a playful edge, suggesting mischief rather than true wrongdoing: There was a glint of badness in her eye.
Unethical or illegal action
- misdeedImmoral or illegal act
- transgressionViolation of law or code
- misconductImproper professional behavior
- immoralityQuality of being wicked
unethical · dishonesty · deceit · corruption · vice · iniquity · sinfulness · turpitude
Harboring ill will
- sinisterThreateningly suggestive of harm
- diabolicalExtremely wicked or cruel
- nefariousExtremely evil or villainous
- villainousExtremely wicked or criminal
demonic · satanic · infernal · malignant · heinous · fiendish · depraved · vile
Petty malicious intent
- hostilityAntagonistic disposition toward others
- animosityActive, bitter hostility
- malevolenceActive ill will
- crueltyDeliberate harm-causing disposition
bitterness · resentment · grudge · ill-will · enmity · vindictiveness · nastiness · meanness
Lower status or quality
- mediocrityQuality of being average
- deficiencyLack of something needed
- inadequacyState of being insufficient
- shoddinessInferior construction quality
substandard · defective · flawed · imperfect · second-rate · low-grade · subpar · lousy
Physical or psychological harm
- damageHarm or impairment
- traumaLasting psychological wound
- hurtCause or feel pain
- painBodily or emotional distress
suffering · abuse · wound · destruction · affliction · toxicity · contamination · pollution
Playful troublesome behavior
- naughtinessMinor improper conduct
- disobedienceRefusal to follow orders
- defianceOpen resistance to authority
- unrulinessDifficult to manage behavior
troublemaking · acting out · misbehavior · rowdiness · waywardness · rebelliousness · impudence · insolence
wrongdoing
Unethical or illegal action
- misdeedImmoral or illegal act
- transgressionViolation of law or code
- misconductImproper professional behavior
immorality · unethical · dishonesty · deceit · corruption · vice · iniquity · sinfulness · turpitude · wrongfulness
malevolent
Harboring ill will
- sinisterThreateningly suggestive of harm
- diabolicalExtremely wicked or cruel
- nefariousExtremely evil or villainous
villainous · demonic · satanic · infernal · malignant · heinous · fiendish · depraved · vile · immoral
spite
Petty malicious intent
- hostilityAntagonistic disposition toward others
- animosityActive, bitter hostility
- malevolenceActive ill will
cruelty · bitterness · resentment · grudge · ill-will · enmity · vindictiveness · nastiness · meanness · viciousness
inferiority
Lower status or quality
- mediocrityQuality of being average
- deficiencyLack of something needed
- inadequacyState of being insufficient
shoddiness · substandard · defective · flawed · imperfect · second-rate · low-grade · subpar · lousy · crummy
injury
Physical or psychological harm
pain · suffering · abuse · wound · destruction · affliction · toxicity · contamination · pollution · adversity
mischief
Playful troublesome behavior
- naughtinessMinor improper conduct
- disobedienceRefusal to follow orders
- defianceOpen resistance to authority
unruliness · troublemaking · acting out · misbehavior · rowdiness · waywardness · rebelliousness · impudence · insolence · brattiness
badnessgoodness
Moral excellence
virtue · righteousness · morality · virtuousness · innocence
badnessgoodness
Moral excellence
excellence · quality · superiority · fineness · greatness
badnessgoodness
Moral excellence
harmlessness · beneficence · wholesomeness · benignity · helpfulness