The bearer of bad news is a person who delivers unpleasant, unfortunate, or unwelcome information to someone else. This person may start off by saying, "I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but..." or "I don't want to be the bearer of bad news, but..."
This person is often the messenger of negative or distressing news, and the phrase is used to describe someone who has the difficult task of conveying information that may cause discomfort, sadness, or distress to the recipient.
Examples of the type of information a bearer of bad news has to convey can be death, health issues, job loss, accidents, legal troubles, unexpected obstacles, canceled plans, family issues, unexpected expenses, or personal betrayal.
The saying comes from the idea that delivering bad news can be challenging and uncomfortable, and the person conveying the news may be met with negative reactions or emotions from the recipient. The phrase emphasizes the difficulty of being in the position to share unfortunate information and implies that the messenger may be blamed or disliked even though they are not responsible for the situation itself.
Overall, "bearer of bad news" highlights the role of the messenger in communicating difficult truths, acknowledging the potential discomfort associated with such a task.
Example sentences
- Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the company decided to downsize.
- Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but your pet cannot enter this restaurant with you.
- John dreaded being the bearer of bad news, but he had to let his team know about the project's delay.
- Mary reluctantly took on the role of the bearer of bad news and informed her parents about the car accident.
- Sarah didn't want to be the bearer of bad news, but she had to tell her coworker that the conference was canceled.
- Alex dreaded being the bearer of bad news to his sister, explaining that their childhood home had been destroyed by a fire.
- Tom was the bearer of bad news when he informed the family about their relative's terminal illness.
- The teacher became the bearer of bad news when she had to let her students know that the field trip had been canceled.
- Mark took on the role of the bearer of bad news, informing his friend that their long-planned event had to be postponed.
- Sarah felt the weight of being the bearer of bad news as she had to break the news of her friend's failed job interview.
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Reference:
Anthony R. Garcia
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