1
as in poorly
in an unsatisfactory way
I'm afraid you performed quite badly in our last rehearsal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of badly
Tesla’s stock is now down about 25% this year, badly underperforming U.S. indexes and by far the worst performance among tech’s megacaps.
—
Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 8 July 2025
Still, Musk's talk of an America Party could reignite investor worries over the fate of the Tesla brand, which was badly damaged after Musk took on a central role in the Trump administration as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.
—Anne Marie D. Lee, CBS News, 7 July 2025
In October 2022, with the Reds struggling badly for form, Jota and Co. came up against a Manchester City team that would go on to win a historic treble that season.
—Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 6 July 2025
But the work serving the current populations can be arduous and challenging – demonstrated here as the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) team can be seen springing into action after a rhino reacted badly to anesthesia.
—Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for badly
Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 8 July 2025
Still, Musk's talk of an America Party could reignite investor worries over the fate of the Tesla brand, which was badly damaged after Musk took on a central role in the Trump administration as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.
—Anne Marie D. Lee, CBS News, 7 July 2025
In October 2022, with the Reds struggling badly for form, Jota and Co. came up against a Manchester City team that would go on to win a historic treble that season.
—Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 6 July 2025
But the work serving the current populations can be arduous and challenging – demonstrated here as the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) team can be seen springing into action after a rhino reacted badly to anesthesia.
—Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for badly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for badly
Adverb
-
Statewide, 28 schools got A grades despite at least half of their students not being proficient in language arts, while 56 schools got the top grade even though half or more of their students scored poorly in math.—
Scott Travis,
Sun Sentinel,
12 July 2025
-
Bottom of the list was Alaska, which scored poorly across all categories, and whose economy has been weighed down by its reliance on oil, CNBC said.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 July 2025
Adverb
-
Unfortunately, this new perspective on my correspondence is not terribly illuminating.—
Rob Pegoraro,
PC Magazine,
9 July 2025
-
But Metropolis in those days wasn’t terribly violent.—
Tom Gliatto,
People.com,
8 July 2025
Adverb
-
Remember, too much of a good thing can turn bad quickly!—
Amber Smith,
Discover Magazine,
3 Apr. 2024
-
That started off bad and got better.—
Vulture,
Vulture,
21 Feb. 2023
Adverb
-
Floor-to-ceiling windows lead to a private terrace and outdoor daybed, which makes for an extremely relaxing place to enjoy a cup of tea after a spa treatment, read a book in the afternoon, or just take in the gorgeous setting after returning from a day out.—
Hannah Freedman,
Travel + Leisure,
13 July 2025
-
Squishy Pebbles The story of Williams’ new result started with progress on a different question about memory in computation: What problems can be solved with extremely limited space?—
Ben Brubaker,
Wired News,
13 July 2025
Adverb
-
He’s been a huge part of us being in contention and he’s pitched very, very well.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 July 2025
-
The robes at Forestis are a very on-brand forest green and have hoods.—
Hannah Freedman,
Travel + Leisure,
13 July 2025
Adverb
-
The tape is incredibly sticky and comes with easy-to-follow directions for styling different necklines and silhouettes.—
Malia Griggs,
Glamour,
7 July 2025
-
This framing of the three races proved incredibly influential in fantasy fiction, with Tolkien’s work providing a solid foundation for many, many stories to come.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
Adverb
-
That’s proven to be a fruitful investment for the Yankees, who have primarily rotated Bellinger in the three outfield spots but use him intermittently at first base, too.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
12 July 2025
-
Get best-in-class reporting that's too important to ignore for just $2.50 $1 per month for 1 year.—
Nena Farrell,
Wired News,
11 July 2025
Adverb
-
The eight-piece set includes four washcloths, two hand towels, and two bath towels made from 100 percent cotton that’s not only soft and cuddly on the skin, but is also highly absorbent, according to the brand.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
9 July 2025
-
But the Cubs have a group of position players who have been highly valued by the baseball industry and work well together by blending youth with experience.—
Patrick Mooney,
New York Times,
9 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Badly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/badly. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share