poorly

1 of 2

adverb

poor·​ly ˈpu̇r-lē 

ˈpȯr-

: in a poor condition or manner

especially : in an inferior or imperfect way : badly

sang poorly

poorly

2 of 2

adjective

British, informal

: somewhat ill : indisposed

feeling poorly

Synonyms of poorly

Adverb

• badly
• bad
• horribly

Adjective

• sick
• bad
• down
• ill

Examples of poorly in a Sentence

Adverb

he tends to perform poorly on standardized tests

Adjective

she stayed home because she was feeling poorly

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

In La Guaira, families dug through the rubble with bare hands, reporting that the few official teams on site were scarce and poorly equipped, without the heavy machinery needed to lift collapsed slabs. — Luis E. Romero, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026

Secondly, they were very poorly promoted. — Samuel O’Neal 25, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 June 2026

Adjective

This fragmented model creates friction and quietly drains profitability through unbilled hours, margin erosion from poorly staffed projects and elevated turnover when top talent hits operational roadblocks. — Dj Paoni, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025

For however poorly things are going — and the bad tone set by the starters has leaked into some defensive lapses and some pressing at the plate — the Padres got themselves into a really favorable position before this. — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1570, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing poorly

• poorly kept secret
• speak well/poorly for

Kids Definition

poorly

adjective

poor·​ly

ˈpu̇(ə)r-lē, 

ˈpō(ə)r-

: somewhat ill