1
as in poorly
in an unsatisfactory way
I'm afraid you performed quite badly in our last rehearsal
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of badly
That sentiment has grown especially loud this season after Nikola Jović signed an early extension but has underperformed badly.
—
Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 31 Mar. 2026
Portland Mayor Keith Wilson was especially emphatic about how badly his city's police department was affected by the federal immigration protests in the summer and fall.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 30 Mar. 2026
Most are badly inefficient compared with their newer counterparts, and surprisingly cheap to retrofit.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026
The Livonia Police Department is asking for the public's help in identifying the badly decomposed body of a man found March 28, partially submerged in the creek near Hines Drive and Levan Road.
—Georgea Kovanis, Freep.com, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for badly
Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 31 Mar. 2026
Portland Mayor Keith Wilson was especially emphatic about how badly his city's police department was affected by the federal immigration protests in the summer and fall.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 30 Mar. 2026
Most are badly inefficient compared with their newer counterparts, and surprisingly cheap to retrofit.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026
The Livonia Police Department is asking for the public's help in identifying the badly decomposed body of a man found March 28, partially submerged in the creek near Hines Drive and Levan Road.
—Georgea Kovanis, Freep.com, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for badly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for badly
Adverb
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The big-picture reality is that many novels are poorly written.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
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The Birdfy misses most often when a bird is too close to the camera, poorly lit, or facing away from the camera.—
Jim Fisher,
PC Magazine,
31 Mar. 2026
Adverb
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The new Attorney General is apt to be just as destructive as Bondi—maybe even more so, given that Bondi, who had little familiarity with the federal legal system, was not terribly effective in the job.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
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In his absence was a grievance fest about a nation heading terribly off course, with foes at every turn to defy the greatness for which MAGA yearns.—
Alex J. Rouhandeh,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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In one of them, a spot attacking Harman, Checchi included a photo of the lieutenant governor — and not a bad-looking one at that.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
28 Mar. 2026
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In one of them, a spot attacking Harman, Checchi included a photo of the lieutenant governor — and not a bad-looking one at that.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Mar. 2026
Adverb
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That can be attributed to the fact that Rolex models were already highly valued in 2018 and were also in extremely high demand during the pandemic.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
2 Apr. 2026
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Almost all natural bodies of water bear fish life, with the exception of very hot thermal ponds and extremely salt-alkaline lakes, such as the Dead Sea in Asia and the Great Salt Lake in North America.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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There are double lotteries and protections that would put a safety net beneath the very worst teams.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
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For activities lasting longer than 1-2 hours, or in very hot environments, sports drinks can help replenish carbohydrates and electrolytes, but be mindful of sugar content.—
Dr. Sarah Kinsella,
Boston Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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In the transfer portal era, making contributions at a championship-caliber program like Ohio State as a true freshman are incredibly rare.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 Mar. 2026
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The first thing that struck me was the gold necklace’s incredibly lightweight nature, clocking in at just 25 grams.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
31 Mar. 2026
Adverb
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Yet a Miami Herald investigation shows that Florida’s Department of Children and Families too often does just the opposite.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
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This seafood had been too warm for multiple days.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
2 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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Israel's Ben Gurion airport has been operating on a severely limited basis throughout the war.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
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The study examined the high cost across different family structures, highlighting that rising living expenses have severely squeezed the traditional middle-class budget.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Badly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/badly. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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