Synonyms of badly

badly

adverb

ˈbad-lē 

1

as in poorly

in an unsatisfactory way

I'm afraid you performed quite badly in our last rehearsal

Synonyms & Similar Words

• poorly
• bad
• horribly
• inadequately
• unsatisfactorily
• terribly
• deficiently
• incorrectly
• wretchedly
• unacceptably
• dreadfully
• lousily
• awfully
• disastrously
• atrociously
• abysmally
• horrendously
• horrifically
• deplorably
• inappropriately
• intolerably
• unbearably
• damnably
• grossly
• miserably
• indecently
• unsuitably
• egregiously
• vulgarly
• execrably
• rottenly
• abominably
• shoddily
• insufficiently
• flagrantly
• shabbily
• vilely
• detestably
• unspeakably
• naughtily
• reprehensibly
• odiously
• meagerly
• scantily
• inferiorly
• sparely
• skimpily
• meanly
• sleazily
• stingily
• trashily
• scantly

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• well
• adequately
• fine
• nicely
• satisfactorily
• good
• all right
• acceptably
• correctly
• tolerably
• appropriately
• rightly
• decently
• so-so
• OK
• suitably
• fittingly
• passably
• precisely
• seemly
• exactly
• faithfully
• ideally
• respectably
• palatably
• felicitously
• decorously
• congruously
• meetly
• satisfyingly
• gratifyingly

2

as in terribly

to a great degree

blood donors are badly needed this time of year

Synonyms & Similar Words

• terribly
• extremely
• very
• incredibly
• too
• severely
• highly
• desperately
• so
• damn
• damned
• really
• seriously
• heavily
• greatly
• intensely
• far
• much
• that
• especially
• wildly
• jolly
• most
• super
• particularly
• awfully
• exceptionally
• fantastically
• fiercely
• specially
• immensely
• awful
• real
• full
• such
• fabulously
• mighty
• absolutely
• frightfully
• good and
• hugely
• mortally
• exceedingly
• vitally
• thoroughly
• totally
• sore
• way
• sorely
• supremely
• enormously
• completely
• deeply
• uncommonly
• remarkably
• extra
• wicked
• utterly
• deadly
• vastly
• majorly
• bone
• passing
• achingly
• positively
• colossally
• mightily
• cracking
• eminently
• surpassingly
• dang
• entirely
• significantly
• rattling
• roaring
• archly
• a lot
• whacking
• thumping
• beastly
• ever
• almighty
• filthy
• monstrous
• spanking
• wholly
• roaringly
• considerably
• blisteringly
• corking
• right
• fully
• noticeably
• stinking
• profoundly
• extensively
• radically
• obviously
• unco
• visibly
• substantially
• as all get-out
• purely
• notably
• downright
• markedly
• excessively
• flat-out
• palpably
• appreciably
• plentifully
• plainly
• altogether
• monumentally
• abundantly
• amazingly
• obscenely
• discernibly
• astronomically
• astonishingly
• monstrously
• staggeringly
• overmuch
• grandly

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• somewhat
• slightly
• little
• nominally
• negligibly
• just
• barely
• minimally
• hardly
• scarcely
• marginally
• scantily
• meagerly

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of badly

After 14 years of Dave Doeren — steady, unspectacular and the king of 7-5 seasons — Rivers will provide a shot of adrenalin to a program that badly needs it. — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 8 Nov. 2026

Saturday night’s performance showed why Georgia so badly wanted Barnes and why Smart owned his recruiting goof. — Connor Riley, AJC.com, 8 Nov. 2026

Throughout his time in the governor’s office, DeSantis has abused special sessions to force rushed and often deceitful debate (including the two days of meetings that produced the badly flawed Amendment 3 in the first place). — Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Nov. 2026

The victims were badly burned and investigators are still working to identify them. — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 6 Nov. 2026