Phrase guide

go bad

verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To spoil, rot, or otherwise become unusable due to age or storage conditions.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

to cease to be reputable and instead become delinquent, criminal, immoral, corrupt or poorly behaved.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: break bad, go to the bad, turn evil

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To become unsafe.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

become unfit for consumption or use

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the meat must be eaten before it spoils

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: spoil

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: decay

Narrower terms: addle, curdle

5

verb

Meaning 5

stop operating or functioning

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The engine finally went
  • The car died on the road
  • The bus we travelled in broke down on the way to town
  • The coffee maker broke
  • The engine failed on the way to town
  • her eyesight went after the accident

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: fail, give way, die, give out, conk out, go, break, break down

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change

Narrower terms: crash, go down, blow out, burn out, blow, misfire, malfunction, misfunction

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

38 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Azerbaijani: xarab olmaq — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • Cherokee: ᎠᏲᎦ (ayoga) — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • Cimbrian: damaal ghéenan — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • Dutch: bederven — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • Finnish: pilaantua — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • French: pourrir — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • French: périmer — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • French: tourner — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • French: moisir — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • French: se perdre — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • West-Frisian: bedjerre — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • Galician: estragar — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • Galician: gorar — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • German: verderben — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • Icelandic: skemmast — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • Ingrian: pilahussa — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • Ingrian: pilahua — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • Italian: andare a male — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • Japanese: 傷む (itamu) — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • Polish: gnić — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • Polish: zgnić — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • Polish: kwaśnieć — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • Polish: skwaśnieć — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • Portuguese: estragar — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • Romanian: se strica — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • Romanian: putrezi — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • Russian: по́ртиться (pórtitʹsja) — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • Russian: испо́ртиться (ispórtitʹsja) — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • Spanish: estropearse — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • Spanish: malograrse — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • Spanish: abombarse — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • Spanish: agriarse — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • Spanish: avinagrarse — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • Spanish: acedarse — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • Spanish: revenirse — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • Spanish: echarse a perder — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • Spanish: chuquearse — of foods: to spoil or rot
  • Spanish: modorrarse — of foods: to spoil or rot