too bad
"too-bad" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“too bad” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a phrase - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 7
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - That's a pity.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | too bad |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Phrase |
| Letters | 7 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “too bad” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for too bad is 7 letters long, classified as a phrase. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
too bad doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.
Etymologically, the entry records: Shortening of "That is too bad" or "It is too bad that..." The correct English form is too bad, spelled T-O-O- -B-A-D.
Definition
- 1That's a pity.
- 2It is sad that.
- 3A mocking expression of uncaring or schadenfreude as an answer to someone when upset.
Etymology
Shortening of "That is too bad" or "It is too bad that..."
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Using “too bad”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is T-O-O- -B-A-D - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source
Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.