What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
bad
Example
The movie was really bad. [bad: adjective]
Example
He has a bad habit of biting his nails. [bad: noun]
evil
Example
The villain in the story was pure evil. [evil: adjective]
Example
She was accused of plotting evil against her colleagues. [evil: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Bad is a more commonly used word in everyday language, covering a wide range of contexts and situations. On the other hand, evil is less common and is often reserved for more serious or extreme situations, such as describing a villain or heinous acts.
Whatโs the difference in the tone of formality between bad and evil?
While bad is versatile and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, evil is generally associated with a more formal or literary tone, often used in discussions of morality, ethics, or storytelling involving villains and wickedness.