quite bad

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "quite bad" is correct and can be used in written English.
It is commonly used to indicate that something is not good or is at a lower level of quality than expected. For example, "The exam results were quite bad this year."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"It would be quite bad if you quit now.

The Guardian - Sport

Really quite bad.

Independent

Um… quite bad?

The Guardian - Sport

So, quite bad.

The Guardian - Film

Most were quite bad.

The Guardian

"She's quite bad.

The Guardian

"Its skin looks quite bad.

The Guardian

HENDRIK HERTZBERG: Probably quite bad.

The New Yorker

"The situation is quite bad," he said.

The New York Times

"I'm sure it was something quite bad".

The New York Times

It did feel quite bad at times.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "quite bad" to express a moderate level of disapproval or concern, especially when you want to avoid being overly harsh. For instance, instead of saying "The service was terrible", you could say "The service was quite bad".

Common error

While "quite bad" is acceptable in many situations, avoid overusing it in formal writing. Opt for more precise and professional terms like "substandard", "deficient", or "inadequate" to convey the same meaning with greater clarity and authority.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "quite bad" functions as an adjective phrase, modifying a noun to indicate a negative quality or state. Ludwig AI shows its broad use across varied texts, emphasizing its role in expressing disapproval or inadequacy.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Science

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

1%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "quite bad" is a commonly used adjective phrase for expressing a moderate level of negativity or inadequacy. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and prevalent usage across diverse contexts, particularly in news and media. While generally neutral in register, it's advisable to use more formal alternatives like "substandard" or "deficient" in professional settings. Remember, "quite bad" softens the impact compared to "very bad", making it suitable when you want to express disapproval without being overly critical.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

rather poor

Substitutes "bad" with "poor" and "quite" with "rather", softening the negative impact slightly.

pretty awful

Replaces "bad" with "awful" and "quite" with "pretty", intensifying the negative sentiment.

fairly terrible

Uses "terrible" instead of "bad" and "fairly" instead of "quite", indicating a significant degree of inadequacy.

seriously deficient

Replaces the adjective phrase with a more formal and emphatic expression of inadequacy.

somewhat substandard

Employs a more technical term, "substandard", to denote something below the expected quality.

distinctly inferior

Utilizes a more formal tone to convey a clear sense of lower quality.

remarkably disappointing

Shifts the focus to the emotional impact of the bad quality, emphasizing the disappointment.

decidedly unpleasant

Replaces "bad" with "unpleasant", focusing on the disagreeable nature of the subject.

moderately inadequate

Uses "inadequate" to specify the type of deficiency, softening the impact with "moderately".

noticeably flawed

Highlights the presence of imperfections, making the deficiency more concrete.

FAQs

How can I use "quite bad" in a sentence?

You can use "quite bad" to describe something that is not very good or is below the expected standard. For example, "The weather was "quite bad" during our vacation, so we stayed inside most of the time."

What's the difference between "quite bad" and "very bad"?

"Quite bad" suggests a moderate level of negativity, while "very bad" indicates a higher degree of severity. "Quite" softens the impact compared to "very".

What are some alternatives to "quite bad"?

Alternatives to "quite bad" include "rather poor", "pretty awful", or "fairly terrible", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it appropriate to use "quite bad" in formal writing?

While generally acceptable, using more precise terms like "substandard" or "inadequate" may be preferable in formal contexts to convey a more professional tone.