VOCABULARY - IDIOMS

Turn up like a bad penny

Meaning:

A person or thing which is unpleasant, disreputable, or otherwise unwanted, especially one which repeatedly appears at inopportune times.

Examples:

  • No matter how many times I change my phone number, he always manages to turn up like a bad penny.
  • The old car broke down again; it's like a bad penny that keeps turning up.
  • After years of not speaking to him, he turned up like a bad penny at our family reunion.
  • Just when I thought I was rid of that old debt, it turned up like a bad penny on my credit report.
  • She's like a bad penny, showing up at all the events I attend, uninvited.
  • The rumors about his dishonesty always turn up like a bad penny whenever he runs for office.
  • That old argument between them turned up like a bad penny during the family dinner.
  • Despite our efforts to keep him away, he always manages to turn up like a bad penny at our gatherings.
  • The old rivalry between the two teams turned up like a bad penny when they faced each other in the playoffs.
  • It's like a bad penny that we can't get rid of—his influence keeps coming back into our lives.
  • Just when I thought I had moved on from that toxic relationship, he turned up like a bad penny, wanting another chance.
  • That annoying neighbor always turns up like a bad penny whenever there's a community event.
  • The same issues in our relationship keep turning up like a bad penny, no matter how hard we try to resolve them.
  • Despite my attempts to avoid her, she turned up like a bad penny at the same social gathering.
  • The unresolved problems at work keep turning up like a bad penny, causing tension among the team.
  • He had promised not to bother us again, but he turned up like a bad penny on our doorstep.
  • The memories of that embarrassing moment in high school keep turning up like a bad penny, haunting me.
  • We thought we had solved the software glitches, but they turned up like a bad penny in the new version.
  • The financial issues with that investment keep turning up like a bad penny, causing stress.
  • Despite moving to a different city, his troubles turned up like a bad penny, affecting his new life.