Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

bad things come in threes

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.02 in modern English

Syllables
bad things -come in threes
IPA
35
Scrabble Score
21
Letters
2
Syllables
14
Unique Chars

Meaning

proverb

If one unfortunate event has already occurred, a second and third are likely to occur; if two, a third should be expected.

Etymology

Frequently Paired Words

Antonyms

Questions

What does bad things come in threes mean?
If one unfortunate event has already occurred, a second and third are likely to occur; if two, a third should be expected.
Where does bad things come in threes come from?
Rooted in human predispositions for such cognitive biases as pareidolia and superstition.

How to pronounce bad things come in threes

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “bad things come in threes”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “bad things come in threes”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “bad things come in threes” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.