50 Similes for Bad With Meanings & Sentences
Similes for Bad
1. Like a storm on a sunny day
Meaning: Unexpectedly negative or disruptive.
In a Sentence: Her sudden anger was like a storm on a sunny day.
Other Ways to Say: Like thunder out of nowhere, Like a cloudburst in calm weather.
2. Like a skunk at a picnic
Meaning: Something or someone that ruins an otherwise enjoyable situation.
In a Sentence: His rude behavior was like a skunk at a picnic, ruining the party for everyone.
Other Ways to Say: Like a raincloud on a sunny day, Like a wet blanket.
3. Like sour milk
Meaning: Spoiled, unpleasant, or distasteful.
In a Sentence: His attitude turned like sour milk when things didn’t go his way.
Other Ways to Say: Like a rotten apple, Like spoiled food.
4. Like a broken record
Meaning: Repeating something over and over again, often annoyingly.
In a Sentence: He kept complaining about his homework like a broken record; it was getting on everyone’s nerves.
Other Ways to Say: Like a stuck tape, Like a looping video.
5. Like nails on a chalkboard
Meaning: Extremely irritating or unpleasant.
In a Sentence: Her constant whining was like nails on a chalkboard.
Other Ways to Say: Like screeching brakes, Like a buzzing mosquito.
6. Like a black cloud
Meaning: Bringing negativity or sadness.
In a Sentence: Ever since the bad news, he’s been like a black cloud hovering over us.
Other Ways to Say: Like a gloom blanket, Like a shadow of doom.
7. Like spoiled meat
Meaning: Rotten or corrupted in nature.
In a Sentence: The deal smelled like spoiled meat from the beginning.
Other Ways to Say: Like something fishy, Like rotten leftovers.
8. Like a snake in the grass
Meaning: Deceitful or untrustworthy.
In a Sentence: He pretended to be my friend but turned out to be like a snake in the grass.
Other Ways to Say: Like a hidden enemy, Like a backstabber.
9. Like a train wreck
Meaning: Disastrous and chaotic.
In a Sentence: The meeting was like a train wreck—completely unorganized and tense.
Other Ways to Say: Like a sinking ship, Like a collapsing building.
10. Like a thorn in the side
Meaning: A persistent source of annoyance or trouble.
In a Sentence: The faulty printer was like a thorn in my side during the whole project.
Other Ways to Say: Like a constant itch, Like a never-healing wound.
11. Like a ticking time bomb
Meaning: Bound to explode or cause trouble soon.
In a Sentence: His anger was like a ticking time bomb ready to go off.
Other Ways to Say: Like a volcano ready to erupt, Like pressure building up.
12. Like poison in a well
Meaning: Contaminating something good.
In a Sentence: His lies were like poison in a well, ruining everyone’s trust.
Other Ways to Say: Like acid on paper, Like ink on a white shirt.
13. Like a bad penny
Meaning: Someone or something unpleasant that keeps returning.
In a Sentence: He keeps showing up like a bad penny.
Other Ways to Say: Like an unwanted guest, Like a recurring nightmare.
14. Like a flat tire
Meaning: Useless or not functioning well.
In a Sentence: The outdated software is like a flat tire in our workflow.
Other Ways to Say: Like a broken wheel, Like a jammed gear.
15. Like sand in your eye
Meaning: Annoying and uncomfortable.
In a Sentence: The criticism felt like sand in my eye—sharp and stinging.
Other Ways to Say: Like dust in your throat, Like grit in your shoes.
16. Like a bad dream
Meaning: Unpleasant and hard to forget.
In a Sentence: The whole experience felt like a bad dream.
Other Ways to Say: Like a nightmare, Like a haunting memory.
17. Like a rotten tooth
Meaning: A decaying or painful presence.
In a Sentence: That mistake in the contract was like a rotten tooth needing to be pulled.
Other Ways to Say: Like a festering wound, Like mold on bread.
18. Like a ghost town
Meaning: Empty, eerie, or lifeless.
In a Sentence: After the layoffs, the office was like a ghost town.
Other Ways to Say: Like a deserted island, Like a silent hallway.
19. Like spilled milk
Meaning: A regrettable situation.
In a Sentence: Complaining now is like crying over spilled milk.
Other Ways to Say: Like a missed train, Like a burnt dish.
20. Like an open wound
Meaning: Emotionally raw or painful.
In a Sentence: Losing that match still feels like an open wound.
Other Ways to Say: Like a fresh bruise, Like a stinging cut.
21. Like rust on metal
Meaning: Slowly damaging or deteriorating.
In a Sentence: His constant negativity was like rust on metal, slowly wearing the team down.
Other Ways to Say: Like termites in wood, Like mold in a corner.
22. Like mud on a white dress
Meaning: Clearly out of place and unwanted.
In a Sentence: His loud laughter during the memorial was like mud on a white dress.
Other Ways to Say: Like ketchup on silk, Like paint on a clean canvas.
23. Like a creaky door
Meaning: Annoying or dragging on.
In a Sentence: His excuses were like a creaky door—noisy and unconvincing.
Other Ways to Say: Like dragging chains, Like a groaning floorboard.
24. Like static on the radio
Meaning: Distracting or unclear.
In a Sentence: Her feedback was like static on the radio—confusing and harsh.
Other Ways to Say: Like background noise, Like broken signals.
25. Like a dead battery
Meaning: Lacking energy or usefulness.
In a Sentence: After the long week, I felt like a dead battery.
Other Ways to Say: Like a burned-out bulb, Like a drained phone.
26. Like a wolf in sheep’s clothing
Meaning: Someone who pretends to be good but has bad intentions.
In a Sentence: He seemed kind, but he was like a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Other Ways to Say: Like a hidden threat, Like danger in disguise.
27. Like a ticking time bomb
Meaning: A situation or person that could become dangerous at any moment.
In a Sentence: His temper was like a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.
Other Ways to Say: Like a volcano ready to erupt, Like a live wire.
28. Like spoiled milk
Meaning: Something that has gone bad or turned unpleasant.
In a Sentence: The friendship turned sour, like spoiled milk.
Other Ways to Say: Like a rotten apple, Like curdled cream.
29. Like a bad penny
Meaning: Someone or something unwelcome that keeps appearing.
In a Sentence: He showed up again at the party, like a bad penny.
Other Ways to Say: Like an unwanted guest, Like trouble that won’t go away.
30. Like a sinking ship
Meaning: A failing or doomed situation.
In a Sentence: The company felt like a sinking ship after the layoffs.
Other Ways to Say: Like a crumbling tower, Like a doomed mission.
31. Like a nightmare on repeat
Meaning: A continuously unpleasant or troubling experience.
In a Sentence: Dealing with the same issue every day felt like a nightmare on repeat.
Other Ways to Say: Like an endless horror, Like a haunting memory.
32. Like nails on a chalkboard
Meaning: Something extremely annoying or irritating.
In a Sentence: Her constant humming was like nails on a chalkboard.
Other Ways to Say: Like a screeching alarm, Like a buzzing fly.
33. Like a fish out of water
Meaning: Feeling uncomfortable or out of place.
In a Sentence: He was like a fish out of water at the formal event.
Other Ways to Say: Like a misplaced puzzle piece, Like a cat in water.
34. Like rust on metal
Meaning: Gradual damage that worsens over time.
In a Sentence: His negativity was like rust on metal, slowly corroding our team spirit.
Other Ways to Say: Like decay setting in, Like erosion.
35. Like a shadow at noon
Meaning: Something that doesn’t belong or feels ominous.
In a Sentence: His presence was like a shadow at noon—dark and out of place.
Other Ways to Say: Like a glitch in the light, Like unwanted gloom.
36. Like a snake in the grass
Meaning: A hidden threat or betrayal.
In a Sentence: I trusted her, but she turned out to be like a snake in the grass.
Other Ways to Say: Like a silent betrayer, Like a lurking danger.
37. Like poison in a cup
Meaning: Something that seems fine but is actually harmful.
In a Sentence: His sweet words were like poison in a cup.
Other Ways to Say: Like honey laced with venom, Like sugar hiding bitterness.
38. Like a haunted house
Meaning: Full of bad memories or an eerie atmosphere.
In a Sentence: That place is like a haunted house after the accident.
Other Ways to Say: Like a ghost town, Like a cursed place.
39. Like a storm without warning
Meaning: A sudden, disruptive negative event.
In a Sentence: The argument hit us like a storm without warning.
Other Ways to Say: Like a surprise attack, Like chaos unleashed.
40. Like a dead battery
Meaning: Something that no longer works or functions well.
In a Sentence: After so many setbacks, his motivation was like a dead battery.
Other Ways to Say: Like a drained engine, Like a flickering light.
41. Like a cracked mirror
Meaning: Broken and reflecting negativity.
In a Sentence: Their relationship was like a cracked mirror—beyond repair.
Other Ways to Say: Like shattered glass, Like a broken lens.
42. Like a virus in the system
Meaning: A hidden issue that spreads problems.
In a Sentence: His bad attitude was like a virus in the system, affecting everyone.
Other Ways to Say: Like a bug in code, Like a seed of chaos.
43. Like a chain with a weak link
Meaning: One small flaw that threatens the whole.
In a Sentence: The team was strong, but his laziness was like a chain with a weak link.
Other Ways to Say: Like a crack in a dam, Like a thread about to snap.
44. Like an open wound
Meaning: A situation that still causes pain.
In a Sentence: Losing the game felt like an open wound for weeks.
Other Ways to Say: Like a fresh bruise, Like an aching scar.
45. Like smoke in the wind
Meaning: Something that disappears or fails easily.
In a Sentence: His promises were like smoke in the wind—gone in seconds.
Other Ways to Say: Like fading dreams, Like empty air.
46. Like mold on bread
Meaning: Something that spreads and ruins quickly.
In a Sentence: Gossip at the office is like mold on bread—it spreads fast and spoils everything.
Other Ways to Say: Like rot in fruit, Like a spreading stain.
47. Like oil on water
Meaning: Two things that don’t mix well.
In a Sentence: Their personalities clashed like oil on water.
Other Ways to Say: Like fire and ice, Like cats and dogs.
48. Like thorns in a rose
Meaning: Hidden pain within something beautiful.
In a Sentence: The deal looked good, but the conditions were like thorns in a rose.
Other Ways to Say: Like a sharp edge in silk, Like bitter behind sweet.
49. Like a balloon ready to burst
Meaning: A situation filled with tension or pressure.
In a Sentence: The silence in the room was like a balloon ready to burst.
Other Ways to Say: Like a pot boiling over, Like a fragile moment.
50. Like a trap waiting to snap
Meaning: A dangerous setup just waiting to cause harm.
In a Sentence: The whole plan felt like a trap waiting to snap.
Other Ways to Say: Like a setup, Like danger underfoot.
