1
as in poorly
in an unsatisfactory way
I'm afraid you performed quite badly in our last rehearsal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in terribly
to a great degree
blood donors are badly needed this time of year
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of badly
The process may not have been pretty or, especially in the case of Raheem Sterling, respectful, but it was badly needed and has provided Enzo Maresca with the platform to build his team.
—
Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
The sanatorium was closed and badly damaged during a bloody civil war in the 1990s.
—Valerie Hopkins, New York Times, 22 Dec. 2024
Only one of Pridgen’s houses remains in working condition, the others having been badly damaged.
—Russ Bynum, Los Angeles Times, 21 Dec. 2024
This can go badly wrong when such tools are used to classify people and make consequential decisions about them.
—Arvind Narayanan, WIRED, 13 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for badly 
Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
The sanatorium was closed and badly damaged during a bloody civil war in the 1990s.
—Valerie Hopkins, New York Times, 22 Dec. 2024
Only one of Pridgen’s houses remains in working condition, the others having been badly damaged.
—Russ Bynum, Los Angeles Times, 21 Dec. 2024
This can go badly wrong when such tools are used to classify people and make consequential decisions about them.
—Arvind Narayanan, WIRED, 13 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for badly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for badly
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
Adverb
-
All, that is, except the lamb, which was only a baby itself and still terribly afraid.Karen Zautyk, New York Daily News, 24 Dec. 2024
-
MacHale tried to assist by arranging a team-building trip, but the gesture ultimately backfired on him terribly.Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 23 Dec. 2024
Adverb
-
Remember, too much of a good thing can turn bad quickly!Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
-
That started off bad and got better.Vulture, Vulture, 21 Feb. 2023
Adverb
-
While promoting The Crow, the star stepped out in distinctive looks that were extremely forward-thinking.Christian Allaire, Vogue, 27 Dec. 2024
-
However, winning the MVP award is extremely important to him.Joe Buscaglia, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024
Adverb
-
It’s got different variations, going from the really rocky stuff to the nice acoustic sound to the very psychedelic sound.Liza Lentini, SPIN, 27 Dec. 2024
-
Novocaine is more of an action movie, and that movie was very fun to make, but incredibly physically challenging for me.Carly Thomas, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Dec. 2024
Adverb
-
Bujold builds a familiar space opera world and fills it with incredibly vivid characters.The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 20 Dec. 2024
-
The scores come after an incredibly tumultuous year for schools across the country, as issues surrounding the Israel-Hamas war exploded on campuses in the form of protests and encampments.Angele Latham, The Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024
Adverb
-
These races will feature top sponsors such as Sun Drop and Bass Pro Shops, alongside potential additional appearances from Budweiser, too.Alex Harrington, Newsweek, 26 Dec. 2024
-
When players get injured — Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, limping off against Crystal Palace, being the latest high-profile example — a common narrative is that there are ‘too many games’.Jacob Whitehead, The Athletic, 25 Dec. 2024
Adverb
-
Childish Literature, in contrast, is a highly curious book.Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2024
-
Speaking of highly flammable: the lithium-ion batteries inside some Anker power banks (models A1642, A1647, and A1652) were found to overheat, explode, catch fire, and scald your hands.Adam Iscoe, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near badly
Cite this Entry
“Badly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/badly. Accessed 31 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share