badly

adverb

bad·​ly ˈbad-lē 

1

: in a bad manner

played badly

2

: to a great or intense degree

want something badly

see also:

badly off for not badly think badly of

Synonyms of badly

• poorly
• bad

Examples of badly in a Sentence

He played badly but I played even worse.

The failure reflects badly on the administration.

She wanted the job badly.

I'm badly in need of a vacation.

His fingers were badly frozen.

Recent Examples on the Web

Neither of the two blasts Shearer experienced in Iraq produced obvious injuries, and medics prioritized Marines who were more badly hurt. — ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026

Two of the continent’s most critical waterways, the Danube and the Rhine, have been particularly badly affected. — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 5 Aug. 2026

Businesses that use other people’s money without best-in-class governance and oversight can end badly—and that describes many nonprofits. — Fortune Editors, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2026

The director of a factory supplying drones to the Russian military was badly wounded when his car exploded, news reports said Wednesday, marking the second attack in a week on Russian drone makers. — CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing badly

• badly off
• badly off for
• not badly
• think badly of

Rhymes for badly

• gladly
• madly
• sadly
• comradely

Kids Definition

badly

adverb

bad·​ly ˈbad-lē 

worse

ˈwərs

; worst

ˈwərst

1

: in a bad manner

played badly

2

: very much

wanted the jeans badly