When describing something negative or unpleasant, there are myriad synonyms that can be used rather than the cliche "was bad." One option is to be more specific and describe the exact nature of the negative situation, such as "was disappointing," "was frustrating," or "was uncomfortable." Alternatively, you could use more colorful language to convey the severity, such as "was horrific," "was abysmal," or "was dreadful." Other options include "was unsatisfactory," "was subpar," "was unacceptable," "was problematic," or "was unpleasant." With so many possibilities, there's no need to resort to the same tired phrase over and over again.