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Explaining "Bad news travels fast"

Reviewed and edited by Anwar Kareem 04/10/2024, 18:18
English.me team member

What does it mean?

Bad news travels fast

The phrase means that people tend to spread negative news quickly, often more so than positive news.

Tone

Cautionary

Origin

The phrase is a proverbial expression, with variations found in multiple languages throughout history, indicating a long-standing observation about human behavior.

Examples of usage

  • As soon as the factory announced its closure, everyone in town knew within the hour—bad news travels fast.
  • She tried to keep the breakup private, but of course, bad news travels fast, and soon everyone was talking about it.
  • Despite the company's efforts to hide the mistake, bad news travels fast, and their stock prices dropped as a result.

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