bad boy

noun

: a person who flouts convention
a literary bad boy

Examples of bad boy in a Sentence

He has become known as the bad boy of the American television industry.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Shaking off a rock ‘n’ roll bad boy reputation isn’t easy—just ask Billy Idol. Lily Moayeri, HollywoodReporter, 8 Apr. 2025 Tom Ford fragrances are known for their bad boy aesthetic, mixed with luxurious elegance. Danielle James, Vogue, 1 Apr. 2025 He’s come a long ways since then, but bad boy Bryson still has shortcomings in Approach play and Around-the-Green. Jay Ginsbach, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025 Jason Momoa was born to play DC Comics bad boy Lobo — so says Jason Momoa. Nick Romano, EW.com, 21 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bad boy

Word History

First Known Use

1860, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bad boy was in 1860

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bad boy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bad%20boy. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!