Question: is zut a bad word in french?
Answer: Zut alors or zut ! Zut which is more common than the old-fashioned “zut alors” is actually just a very polite way to say merde. It's like saying “shucks” or “dang” to avoid swearing in front of people you shouldn't swear in front of. So feel free to use this one as it won't get you into any trouble at all.