# bad news bears

idiom

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

## Meaning

Said of someone or something that will bring disaster or bad fortune to one.

## Examples

- Stay away from him, he is bad news bears.
- I would avoid that new business partner because he is bad news bears for our company.
- The seasoned detective warned his rookie partner that the informant was bad news bears and likely to lead them into a dangerous trap.

## Origin

The idiom is a presumed reference to the 1976 sports comedy film The Bad News Bears. While the film concerned the fortunes of a substandard youth baseball team, the title provided the template for the modern phrase.

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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.