: in a poor condition or manner
British, informal
: somewhat ill : indisposed
feeling poorly
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
Arkansas Online, 14 Feb. 2026
That kind of confidence from a teenager could easily have aged poorly.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 13 Feb. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for poorly
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Adverb
Hospitals are so poorly equipped that patients are asked to provide supplies needed for their care, from syringes to surgical screws.
—Arkansas Online, 14 Feb. 2026
That kind of confidence from a teenager could easily have aged poorly.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 13 Feb. 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
See All Example Sentences for poorly
Cite this Entry
“Poorly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poorly. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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