Cool MateBad vs No good vs Poor
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Bad
Top 1,000 (very common)A1adjective
No good
InformalTop 3,000 (common)
Poor
Top 1,000 (very common)A1
| Bad | No good | Poor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/bæd/","/wɜːs/","/wɜːst/"]/🇺🇸 /["/bæd/","/wɜːrs/","/wɜːrst/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //nəʊ ɡʊd//🇺🇸 //noʊ ɡʊd// | 🇬🇧 /["/pɔː(r)//pʊə(r)/"]/🇺🇸 /["/pʊr//pɔːr/"]/ |
| Meaning | not good or harmful | Not acceptable or useful. | Having little money or resources |
| Example | That was a bad performance by the team. | This plan is no good; we need to rethink it. | She is in a poor condition after the accident. |
| Register | Neutral | Informal | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 3,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | A1 | - | A1 |
| Part of speech | adjective | ||
| Collocations | be, look, sound, extremely, fairly, very, at, for, not half bad, be, look, sound, extremely, fairly, very, at, for, not half bad, be, look, sound, extremely, fairly, very, at, for, not half bad, be, look, smell, feel, extremely, fairly, very, about, be, look, sound, extremely, fairly, very, at, for, not half bad | no good at all, no good for something, feel no good, it's no good, no good reason | poor health, poor quality, poor performance |
| Antonyms | good, excellent, positive | - | rich, wealthy, affluent |
| Common mistakes | Using 'bad' instead of 'badly' as an adverb: e.g., 'He performed bad' instead of 'He performed badly'., Confusing 'bad' with 'ill' when referring to health. 'Ill' is usually used in formal contexts., Saying 'more bad' instead of 'worse' for comparative form. | Overusing it in formal writing or speech., 'No good' mistaken for 'not good', which is more common., Using it without context, making the meaning unclear. | Confused with 'pore' (the skin opening), Using 'poor' as a noun (should use 'the poor'), Saying 'poorness', which is not standard |
| Usage notes | Use 'bad' to describe something that is of poor quality or morally wrong. It's generally appropriate in everyday conversation but can be too informal in professional settings. In formal writing, consider alternatives such as 'unfavorable' or 'detrimental'. | Typically used to express dissatisfaction or disapproval. It's informal and may not be suitable in formal settings. | Use 'poor' to describe someone lacking money or in bad conditions. Avoid using it in formal reports where 'underprivileged' might be more suitable. |
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Frequently asked questions: Bad vs No good vs Poor
What's the difference between Bad, No good, and Poor?
Bad: not good or harmful No good: Not acceptable or useful. Poor: Having little money or resources
Can you show an example of each?
Bad: That was a bad performance by the team. No good: This plan is no good; we need to rethink it. Poor: She is in a poor condition after the accident.
Can I use Bad, No good, and Poor interchangeably?
Not always. Bad, No good, and Poor are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.