sorely

adverb

sore·​ly ˈsȯr-lē 

1

: in a sore manner : painfully

2

: very, extremely

sorely needed changes

Synonyms

• sadly
• bitterly
• sorrowfully
• painfully

Examples of sorely in a Sentence

You will be sorely missed.

She provided some sorely needed help.

The house is sorely in need of paint.

He is sorely lacking in social skills.

Recent Examples on the Web

The debate is particularly salient for the emerging Gen Z workforce, who managers believe are sorely lacking in the soft skills needed to thrive in the workplace. —Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2025

Nevertheless, the impression one gets is of a performer who is sorely out of practice. —Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2025

Remnants of the sorely misnamed Inflation Reduction Act—initially passed in 2022 under Biden without a single Republican vote—are squeezing businesses in the healthcare space with government price controls. —Elaine Parker, Oc Register, 29 Sep. 2025

Saleh’s unit sorely missed star pass rusher Nick Bosa, who’s now out for the year with a torn ACL. —Zak Keefer, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

sorely

adverb

sore·​ly ˈsō(ə)r-lē 

ˈsȯ(ə)r-

: in a sore manner