# bad actor

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/bad-actor
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

An individual or entity with a prior criminal conviction, or who has been sanctioned by the court or regulator.

## Examples

- The company fired the bad actor for stealing money.
- The bank tightened its security measures to prevent any bad actor from accessing customer accounts.
- Regulators identified the firm as a bad actor after discovering a pattern of fraudulent activity designed to deceive unsuspecting investors.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.