Bad-minded means: Caribbean and Jamaican English term for someone with malicious, jealous, or cynical intentions - a person who wishes ill on others, talks behind backs, or secretly roots for everyone around them to. It is legal vocabulary; usage is usually formal, institutional, or news-related rather than casual teen talk. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour.
bad-minded
Caribbean and Jamaican English term for someone with malicious, jealous, or cynical intentions — a person who wishes ill on others, talks behind backs, or secretly roots for everyone around them to fail.
Definitions
Caribbean
#1·Apr 28, 2026Caribbean
Caribbean and Jamaican English term for someone with malicious, jealous, or cynical intentions — a person who wishes ill on others, talks behind backs, or secretly roots for everyone around them to fail. Bad-minded people smile to your face and curse your success behind closed doors. It's the vibe of someone whose mental energy is spent resenting other people's wins. In Jamaican culture it's a serious character flaw, treated with appropriate side-eye.
Don't tell her about the promotion — she's bad-minded and will find a way to undermine you.
Origin: From Jamaican and wider Caribbean English, combining 'bad' with 'minded' to describe a person's disposition or mental attitude. Reflects the Caribbean English pattern of compound adjectives describing character. Editorial expansion authored on Slangora.
For parents
Bad-minded means: Caribbean and Jamaican English term for someone with malicious, jealous, or cynical intentions - a person who wishes ill on others, talks behind backs, or secretly roots for everyone around them to. It is legal vocabulary; usage is usually formal, institutional, or news-related rather than casual teen talk. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour.
For ESL learners
bad-minded means: Caribbean and Jamaican English term for someone with malicious, jealous, or cynical intentions - a person who wishes ill on others, talks behind backs, or secretly roots for. Register: formal, legal English. Standard in its technical domain but rare in everyday talk; gloss with a plain synonym when writing for a general audience. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.
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Caribbean
#2·Apr 27, 2026Caribbean
(Caribbean, Jamaica) , malicious or cynical.
Cluster: disapproval
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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Other words near "bad-minded" (B)
bad lookerbadly packed kebabbadmanbadmashbadminbad mindbadonkerbad rapbad scran to someonebad-talkbad to beatbad trip
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Semantically related
- bad mind91%
A Caribbean and Jamaican English term for malicious intent, spite, or deep-seated animosity toward someone. If someone has bad mind, they're not just annoyed — they're actively wishing you harm or working against you out of envy, hatred, or bitterness. Bad mind is often connected to jealousy and the idea that someone resents your success. It's a powerful accusation in Caribbean culture, where it implies a toxic emotional state that goes beyond ordinary conflict into something darker.
- bad mind88%
(Caribbean, Jamaica) malicious intent; animosity.
- bad-talk72%
(Caribbean, Jamaica) To disparage something, or to speak maliciously about someone.
- badman68%
(Jamaica) A gangster.