Learn different ways to say bad in English. In particular, you’ll learn different ways to describe bad service in English. Very useful vocabulary for making complaints in English.
These words will help you improve your English speaking and writing.
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ways to say bad in English
Harry
Ways to say bad in English
What are we going to talk about today? Well, we’re going to talk about words for bad in English or ways to say bad in English.
What we’re specifically referring to is not just bad words but we’re talking about bad service, or in particular bad customer service, so ways to say bad in English when we’re referring to bad service or bad customer service.
As always, I’m going to go through them one by one. And then I’ll give you some examples. And then we’ll take it from there.
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INSANITY: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
poor
Meaning: of a low standard or quality
Examples:
The internet connection is very poor. There is a constant disruption to the video stream.
When I tried to contact their customer service, I was not able to talk to anyone in person. It was very poor.
atrocious /əˈtrəʊ.ʃəs/
Meaning: exceptionally bad
Example:
Both food and service were atrocious. The food was cold and didn’t smell nice. The waiters came after 15 minutes of sitting at the table and threw the menu across.
Ways to say bad in English
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terrible
Meaning: of low quality or very bad
Example:
The service in the restaurant was terrible last week because there were so many people. It was crowded. They didn’t have enough waiters.
unprofessional
Meaning: below the standards
Examples:
His solicitors disclosed all the information to a third party. It was so unprofessional.
I didn’t expect the accountant to tell me that Mike’s business was in trouble; this was very unprofessional.
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horrendous /həˈren.dəs/
appalling /əˈpɔː.lɪŋ/
Meaning: service that doesn’t meet your expectations
Example:
The service here is always appalling on a Friday. They never have enough staff. It’s horrendous to have to wait so long.
unacceptable
Meaning: bad, something that you’re not prepared to accept
Example:
The waiting period is 6 to 8 weeks. This is totally unacceptable. I have a holiday booked for the end of the month.
Ways to say bad in English
shocking
Meaning: very bad
Example:
The service was absolutely shocking. I’ll never deal with this company again.
lousy /ˈlaʊ.zi/
Meaning: very poor or bad (informal)
Example:
This bus service is lousy. They never have enough buses. It’s never going to change.
sub-par
Meaning: below what is expected; when a service doesn’t meet your requirements
Example:
The service was sub-par. It took over a week to dry clean a pair of trousers.
12 adjectives to describe a bad service
disappointing
Meaning: a service that leaves you feeling sad
Example:
After about twenty days the book finally arrived. It had been posted from Melbourne. The service for me was really disappointing.
inadequate /ɪˈnæd.ɪ.kwət/
Meaning: a service that doesn’t get you what you want
Example:
The customer service was inadequate despite us paying extra money we contacted them.
mediocre /ˌmiː.diˈəʊ.kər/
Meaning: a service that is just about acceptable
Examples:
Ah, it was mediocre. They didn’t play great, they didn’t play so badly but it wasn’t something exciting.
I didn’t give them a tip because the service was really mediocre. The delivery should have been there 30 minutes before.
Okay, so another way to refer to bad service in English.
Okay, so here are 12 adjectives to describe a bad service in English.
Let me give them to you one more time:
- poor
- atrocious
- terrible
- unprofessional
- horrendous
- appalling
- unacceptable
- shocking
- lousy
- disappointing
- inadequate
- mediocre
So all of them are ways to say bad in English, some of them are more formal than others, some of them informal.
If you, unfortunately, suffer from a bad service at least you’ll have many ways in which you can describe it in English.
Well, that’s the end of this particular lesson and I hope you enjoy it.
If you have any questions, and you can contact me at www.englishlessonviaskype.com and I’m always very happy to hear from you and as I said before, don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel so that you can get to watch this whenever you wish.
Thanks for joining me and join me again soon.
More information
For more information on English grammar rules, English collocations and English idioms, check out the links below:
English idioms with BODY parts
You can always study English advanced level at Learning English with the BBC.
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