Flipped meanings

When 'nice' meant stupid and 11 other shocking word flips

Credit: Randy Laybourne

Language doesn’t stand still—and some words have done a complete 180. Over the centuries, dozens of common English terms have evolved to mean the exact opposite of what they once did. From awful once meaning "awe-inspiring," to egregious flipping from praise to insult, these surprising reversals reveal how culture, usage, and context reshape our vocabulary over time. Here are 12 examples of English words that used to mean the opposite.

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Then: Awe-inspiring

Now: Very bad

In the 13th century, awful described something that filled you with awe or reverence, often in a religious or majestic sense.

By the 1800s, however, its meaning had shifted toward fear and unpleasantness. Today, awful exclusively refers to something negative, such as bad smells, food, or experiences.

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Then: Remarkably good

Now: Shockingly bad

Derived from Latin egregius, meaning "distinguished" or "eminent," it originally described someone who stood out in a good way.

But by the 17th century, the meaning had completely flipped. Today, egregious highlights glaring faults and is often used in legal or journalistic contexts to describe major errors or scandals.

Credit: Michael Dziedzic

Then: Ignorant or foolish

Now: Pleasant or kind

In Middle English, nice came from the Latin nescius, meaning "ignorant." It originally referred to someone silly, gullible, or lacking judgment in general. Not very nice, eh?

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Then: Blessed or holy

Now: Lacking seriousness

Silly began as seely in Old English, meaning "happy," "innocent," or "pious." Particularly, it had strong religious and moral overtones.

Curiously, as the centuries passed, the meaning shifted from a sense of innocence to naivety, and by the 1500s, it had taken on today’s connotation of being frivolous or childish.

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Then: Skillfully made

Now: Fake or insincere

From Latin artificialis, meaning "crafted with skill," it once described things made by human art, often with admiration.

Today, artificial implies unnaturalness or deception, especially in food, emotions, or materials like artificial flavoring or artificial intelligence. Seems quite unfair, doesn’t it?

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Then: Causing terror or awe

Now: Very bad

Terrible once described something that instilled fear or awe, often with divine or royal connotations, like "a terrible majesty."

Its modern usage dropped the reverence but kept the negativity. Today, it denotes poor quality or extreme unpleasantness in everyday speech.

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Then: Showy or flashy

Now: Courageous

In the 15th century, brave referred to a person dressed flamboyantly or behaving boldly in appearance, not action.

In an ironic turn, the meaning evolved during the Renaissance to describe boldness of character, especially in battle or adversity—its current heroic sense.

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Then: Sated or full

Now: Unhappy

In Old English, sad meant "sated," from the same root as satisfy. It indicated fullness, firmness, and even seriousness.

The shift toward emotional gloom began in the 1300s, gradually dominating the word’s use by the 16th century.

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Then: To examine carefully

Now: To skim or browse

Peruse comes from Latin per- ("thoroughly") + use, meaning to examine in detail. Legal and scholarly texts once used it that way.

In modern casual use, people often say peruse when they mean "glance over," a meaning that’s become accepted through frequent misuse.

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Then: Any type of food

Now: Animal flesh

In Old English, meat referred broadly to food of all kinds. Even fruits and vegetables were considered "meats" too.

Its meaning narrowed by the 14th century, eventually referring only to animal flesh, particularly red meat, by modern standards.

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Then: A child of either sex

Now: A female child

In Middle English, girl (or gyrl) referred to any young person, regardless of gender. The term boy was less commonly used.

By the 16th century, girl became gender-specific, aligning with societal norms and shaping the word we use today.

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Then: To prevent

Now: To allow

Let once meant to hinder or obstruct, and was often found in old legal or religious texts.

Interestingly, its meaning flipped over time—from restriction to permission. Quite the reversal! While modern usage dominates, its older meaning still survives in some dialects and contexts.

Do you use any of these?

Why do we say ‘kick the bucket’? Discover 12 idioms with morbid origins

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We use a lot of strange phrases without thinking twice, but some have surprisingly grim origins. Ever say someone "kicked the bucket" or "bit the dust"? These everyday expressions sound harmless, but have more somber roots. Take a look at 12 of these idioms. Do you use any of these?

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In 13th-century Britain, bakers risked losing a hand if they sold underweight bread, according to the Assize of Bread and Ale under Henry III. To avoid punishment, they often added a little extra to each order.

When selling 12 loaves, bakers would include a 13th—called a "vantage" loaf. This became what is now known as "a baker’s dozen".

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Saying you're "as pleased as punch" sounds cheerful, but it has dark roots. The phrase comes from Punch of Punch and Judy puppet shows, who gleefully committed violent acts.

Popular in 17th-century England, these shows featured Punch killing his family and others with a slapstick, laughing after each act.

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The phrase "meet a deadline" might sound stressful today, but its origins are far darker. During the Civil War, the "deadline" referred to a boundary at Andersonville Prison, where Union soldiers were held.

This line, 20 feet inside the outer wall, was meant to prevent escapes. Any prisoner who crossed it was shot by guards in pigeon roosts. The term came from this deadly boundary, where crossing meant certain death.

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Today, a "blockbuster" refers to a huge commercial hit, but the term originally described powerful bombs from World War II.

The British Royal Air Force used blockbusters, massive cylinders filled with explosives, capable of destroying entire streets. It wasn’t until 1957, nearly a decade after the war, that the term shifted to describe big entertainment successes.

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The phrase "to bulldoze" someone means to force or bully them, but its origins are much harsher. First used in 1876, "bull dose" referred to brutally whipping or beating someone, similar to how a bull might be punished.

By 1880, "bulldoze" became a verb, and eventually, the heavy machinery designed to push through obstacles was named a bulldozer.

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The word "sinister" comes from the Latin sinister, meaning "left" or "on the left side." By the 15th century, left-handedness was associated with evil, often linked to witches and the devil.

Because of this stigma, left-handed people were forced to use their right hands. Today, however, we know that being left-handed doesn’t make anyone sinister, and many renowned thinkers, like Leonardo da Vinci and Benjamin Franklin, were left-handed.

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The Mad Hatter from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is famous for his colorful personality, but his madness has historical roots. In the 18th and 19th centuries, hat-makers, known as "hatters," often suffered from mercury poisoning due to their work with the chemical.

This poisoning led to mental deterioration, giving rise to the idea of the "mad" hatter, a term that Carroll cleverly incorporated into his character.

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Today, "pulling your leg" means joking or fooling around, but it once had a much darker meaning: in 19th-century London, thieves would pull people’s legs to drag them down before stealing their belongings.

This tactic was commonly used by robbers, turning what is now a lighthearted phrase into a serious crime.

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In the world of films, we often see characters drinking whiskey before a quick surgery or amputation. But in real battlefields, soldiers didn’t have that option.

Instead, they would bite down on a bullet from the ground or their weapon to help endure the pain during medical procedures.

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The phrase "God bless you" after a sneeze has several theories behind it. One theory links it to preventing the plague, while another suggests it’s a way of ensuring the soul stays in the body during a sneeze.

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The phrase "kick the bucket" means to die and has been used since the 18th century. One theory connects it to the Catholic tradition of placing a bucket of holy water by the feet of the deceased for mourners to sprinkle.

Another theory suggests the term comes from 16th-century England, where "bucket" referred to a beam. When animals were hanged for slaughter, they would kick the beam as they died, giving rise to the idiom.

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The phrase "bite the dust" likely originated in the 19th-century Old West, referring to gunfights and battles. It paints a vivid picture of someone falling to the ground and biting the dust after being struck by a fatal wound.

Over time, the expression broadened, and now it simply signifies someone’s death or defeat, no longer tied specifically to gunfights.