badass
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Also seen as: badazz
Sense 1
Meaning · English
A belligerent or mean person; a person with an unpleasantly extreme appearance, attitudes, or behavior.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
Don’t mess with that guy, he’s a real badass.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
A person considered impressive due to courage, skill, daring, audacity, and/or toughness.
Register: slang
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “badass” mean?
A belligerent or mean person; a person with an unpleasantly extreme appearance, attitudes, or behavior.
Is “badass” formal or informal?
badass is generally slang.