"bad-talk" means: To disparage something, or to speak maliciously about someone.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
bad-talk
(Caribbean, Jamaica) To disparage something, or to speak maliciously about someone.
Definitions
Caribbean
#1·Apr 27, 2026Caribbean
(Caribbean, Jamaica) To disparage something, or to speak maliciously about someone.
For parents
"bad-talk" means: To disparage something, or to speak maliciously about someone.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
For ESL learners
"bad-talk" means: To disparage something, or to speak maliciously about someone.. Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. Note the regional or dialect label (Caribbean) — usage may sound odd outside that variety. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.
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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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Caribbean
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Other words near "bad-talk" (B)
badminbad mindbad-mindedbadonkerbad rapbad scran to someonebad to beatbad tripbadunkadunkbad upbadwrongfunbae
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Related terms
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Semantically related
- bad-minded72%
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.
- bad mind72%
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-minded71%
(Caribbean, Jamaica) , malicious or cynical.
- bad mind71%
(Caribbean, Jamaica) malicious intent; animosity.
- talk shite67%
(slang, vulgar, UK, Irish, very, uncommon) To talk badly about something.