# bad old days

idiom

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

## Meaning

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

## Examples

- We are glad those bad old days are finally over.
- The company changed its strict rules, so employees no longer worry about the bad old days of constant overtime.
- Looking back at the instability of his youth, he felt grateful that the bad old days of poverty and uncertainty were firmly behind him.

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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.