badass
What does badass mean? badass is a English moderate that translates to “tough / cool / impressive” in English.
Literal Translation
bad posterior
Meaning & Usage
"tough / cool / impressive"
One of the rare profane words that's almost always a compliment. Calling someone a badass means they're tough, fearless, impressively skilled, or all three. The word flipped from insult to praise sometime in the mid-20th century and never looked back.
Examples in the Wild
As a compliment: 'She climbed Everest solo? That's badass.' As a noun: 'Don't mess with him, he's a badass.'
When to Use It
Context
- Casual conversations with friends
- Informal settings where profanity is accepted
- As a spontaneous exclamation
Avoid
- Professional or formal settings
- Job interviews, meetings, or customer-facing situations
Cultural Context
Originally African American Vernacular English, entering mainstream American slang in the 1960s-70s. The linguistic journey from 'bad' meaning 'bad' to 'bad' meaning 'good' (and then 'badass' meaning 'impressive') is a textbook example of semantic inversion in slang. Samuel L. Jackson has built a career on this word.
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