# too bad

idiom

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

## Meaning

That's a pity.

## Examples

- Too bad — I wanted to go to the concert.
- The restaurant was fully booked, which was too bad because we were really looking forward to it.
- The rain ruined the picnic, and though she said it was too bad, her disappointment was plain to see.

## Origin

A shortening of the constructions "That is too bad" or "It is too bad that...", where the initial pronoun and verb are omitted.

---

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.