Plural form of badass; people who are impressively tough, fearless, bold, and don't follow normal rules or expectations.
Same etymological root as 'badassed,' combining 'bad' with crude slang 'assed.' The plural emerged naturally in 1960s American vernacular to refer to multiple rebellious or impressive figures.
History books celebrate badasses without calling them that—think Harriet Tubman, Muhammad Ali, or Marie Curie—but modern slang lets us recognize everyday rebelliousness and impressive rule-breaking in a way that feels celebratory rather than condemning.
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