as in badly
in an unsatisfactory way
he tends to perform poorly on standardized tests a poorly drawn figure
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in sick
temporarily suffering from a disorder of the body
she stayed home because she was feeling poorly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of poorly
Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 3 Apr. 2025
There was minor flooding in low-lying and poorly drained areas, with water over the roads in some locations.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 2 Apr. 2025
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
Adverb
Congressional Democrats, meanwhile, perform twice as poorly, with a net negative 29 favorability rating, including 31 percent who view them favorably and 60 percent who view them unfavorably.
—Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 3 Apr. 2025
There was minor flooding in low-lying and poorly drained areas, with water over the roads in some locations.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 2 Apr. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poorly
Adverb
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The Blue Jackets only remained in the playoff race because the other teams around them battling for a playoff spot have been coughing and hacking almost as badly as the Jackets.—
Aaron Portzline,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2025
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But the only thing that is wild here is how badly the science supporting fluoridation is being distorted or ignored.—
Megha Satyanarayana,
Scientific American,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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This has not been a good week for United, which was also accused of trying to shut off the ventilator of a sick one-year-old child.—
Michael Goldstein,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
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By many accounts, Planned Parenthood is an incurably sick beast whose time is nearing its end.—
Erik Baptist,
National Review,
28 Mar. 2025
Adverb
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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
Adjective
-
Even if Bitcoin experiences consecutive down years—which history suggests is unlikely over extended periods—the structure remains viable.—
Edan Yago,
Forbes.com,
2 Apr. 2025
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The sole down year was 2001, when the index lost slightly over 1% in that period.—
Brian Evans,Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Likewise, when the husband fell ill but the wife remained healthy, the likelihood of divorce did not significantly increase.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
6 Apr. 2025
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However, for people who are already ill and hospitalized, the growing threat is very real.—
Jenny Lehmann,
Discover Magazine,
3 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Poorly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poorly. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
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