poorly

1 of 2

adverb

poor·​ly ˈpu̇r-lē How to pronounce poorly (audio)
ˈpȯr-
: in a poor condition or manner
especially : in an inferior or imperfect way : badly
sang poorly

poorly

2 of 2

adjective

: somewhat ill : indisposed

Examples of poorly in a Sentence

Adverb he tends to perform poorly on standardized tests Adjective she stayed home because she was feeling poorly
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adverb
The Rams have become a much different team than the one that started the season so poorly. Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 27 Dec. 2024 If the Olympics had gone poorly, the answer to this question probably would have been the 2-0 loss to Mexico at the W Gold Cup. Jeff Rueter, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024
Adjective
Both the United States and the United Nations have stepped back from leadership roles, a reflection of how poorly interventions in Haiti have gone and also the wide range of issues in other parts of the world at the moment. Adam Taylor, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024 Story will be a free agent and at this stage why would an accomplished player stay with the poorly run Rockies? BostonGlobe.com, 27 Mar. 2021 See all Example Sentences for poorly 

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1570, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of poorly was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near poorly

Cite this Entry

“Poorly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poorly. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

poorly

adjective
poor·​ly
ˈpu̇(ə)r-lē,
ˈpō(ə)r-
: somewhat ill

More from Merriam-Webster on poorly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!