badass

1 of 2

adjective

bad·​ass ˈbad-ˌas How to pronounce badass (audio)
1
chiefly US, informal + sometimes impolite : ready to cause or get into trouble : mean
pretending to be a badass gunslingerL. L. King
2
chiefly US, informal + sometimes impolite : of formidable strength or skill
such a badass guitar playerN'Gai Croal

badass

2 of 2

noun

chiefly US, informal + sometimes impolite
: a person who is badass

Examples of badass in a Sentence

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.
Noun
But [producer] David Leitch and his company wanted to create a different kind of action hero that doesn’t look like a badass until the situation calls for it. Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 4 Feb. 2025 Pritzker: What makes Madison Wells Live different is the idea that our film team and our live team mix very closely, and that the entirety of our company is based on telling stories about badass women and people pushing boundaries. Jeryl Brunner, Forbes, 21 Dec. 2024 Garcia continues the procedure — a very badass move, objectively speaking — but kicks Trinity off the job and instead has Whitaker take over. Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 6 Feb. 2025 The Blackpink alum arrived at Chanel's haute-couture spring-summer 2025 show during Paris Fashion Week looking like nothing short of a beautiful, badass bird. Marci Robin, Allure, 28 Jan. 2025 Overseeing the proceedings is Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, who might just be the most badass of the bunch. Jennifer M. Wood, WIRED, 31 Dec. 2024 And to lie to the audience like, Peter’s this badass that doesn’t get hurt? Max Gao, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Jan. 2025 In turn, feeling like a badass on the rower may just imbue you with confidence that spills over into other areas of your life, like finally asking for the promotion at work or drumming up the nerve to invite that cute barista on a date. Christa Sgobba, SELF, 3 Jan. 2025 Claressa is so inspiring, such a badass, and nobody knew her story. Margy Rochlin, Los Angeles Times, 7 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1955, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1956, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of badass was in 1955

Dictionary Entries Near badass

Cite this Entry

“Badass.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/badass. Accessed 23 Feb. 2025.

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