English Reference
Idiom idiom

bad old days


The past, seen as a time when things were worse.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

“We are glad those bad old days are finally over.”

CONTEXTUAL

“The company changed its strict rules, so employees no longer worry about the bad old days of constant overtime.”

COMPLEX

“Looking back at the instability of his youth, he felt grateful that the bad old days of poverty and uncertainty were firmly behind him.”


Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    a cold day in July

    The time of occurrence of an event that will never happen.

  2. 02

    a day late and a dollar short

    Too late and too feeble to achieve the desired effect.

  3. 03

    a year and a day

    A long time.

  4. 04

    all one's born days

    One's whole life.

  5. 05

    any old nook or cranny

    Alternative form of any nook or cranny.

  6. 06

    as the day is long

    Unceasingly; very; thoroughly; to a very high degree.

  7. 07

    bad actor

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

  8. 08

    bad apple

    A person who is not wholesome, honest, or trustworthy, especially one who has an adverse influence on others.

Last updated August 10, 2026