Meaning & use
bad judgement
Last updated
Meanings
phraseuncountable
The act of making a decision that is unwise or likely to cause problems.
Grammar: Used as an uncountable noun phrase; you can say 'a piece of bad judgement' but not 'a bad judgement' in this sense.
Patterns
- show bad judgement
- it was bad judgement to do something
Investing all his savings in one company was bad judgement.
She showed bad judgement by lending him money without checking his background.
phrasecountable
A single decision or opinion that is not well considered.
Grammar: Can be used with 'a' or in the plural to talk about specific instances.
Patterns
- make a bad judgement
- a bad judgement about something
The referee made a bad judgement and the team lost the game.
His bad judgements about people often get him into trouble.
Common combinations
- error of judgement
- The pilot's error of judgement caused the accident.
- lapse in judgement
- It was a momentary lapse in judgement, not a crime.
- poor judgement
- He is known for his poor judgement in business.
Synonyms and how they differ
- misjudgment
- More formal and often used for a single wrong opinion; 'bad judgement' is broader and can refer to a general lack of good sense.
- error
- A general word for a mistake; 'bad judgement' specifically refers to a poor decision-making process.
Opposites
Word family
- judge verb
- To form an opinion or make a decision about something.
- judgmental adjective
- Too quick to criticize other people.
- judicious adjective
- Showing good sense and careful thought.
Commonly confused: bad judgement or judgment?
bad judgement vs judgment
In American English, 'judgment' is the usual spelling in legal contexts, while 'judgement' is more common in British English for general use. Both are acceptable, but be consistent.
Practice
Driving after drinking alcohol is a serious case of _______.
Choose one answer.
'Bad judgement' is the correct phrase for poor decision-making. 'Bad judge' means a person who judges poorly, 'bad judging' refers to the act of judging, and 'bad judicial' is not a common phrase.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “bad judgement”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.