Down Bad
Extremely attracted, lovesick, desperate, or emotionally affected by someone.
“He drove across town just to return her charger—he is down bad.”
The phrase often teases someone whose romantic interest is obvious enough to override pride or good judgment.
Down bad previously meant being in a difficult condition; hip-hop and internet culture popularized its romantic-desperation sense in the late 2010s and early 2020s.
down horrendous
A stronger, more comedic version.
down atrocious
An exaggerated variation.
got it bad
An older phrase with a similar romantic meaning.
Is down bad always romantic?
Usually in current slang, though it can still mean being in a generally difficult situation.
Can someone say it about themselves?
Yes, often as a self-aware admission of intense attraction.