1
as in poorly
in an unsatisfactory way
I'm afraid you performed quite badly in our last rehearsal
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Recent Examples of badly
Where the police may be enlisted to tattle on a Congressperson behaving badly?
—
Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2026
No Premier League side has performed as badly.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2026
Possibly, how badly Beard mispronounces Boise.
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 6 Apr. 2026
The 1973 war initially went very badly for Israel.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for badly
Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2026
No Premier League side has performed as badly.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2026
Possibly, how badly Beard mispronounces Boise.
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 6 Apr. 2026
The 1973 war initially went very badly for Israel.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for badly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for badly
Adverb
-
The author emphasizes that the library book controversy—central to the group’s identity—was excessive and poorly conceived.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Avoid heavy and poorly draining soil.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
9 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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The new Attorney General is apt to be just as destructive as Bondi—maybe even more so, given that Bondi, who had little familiarity with the federal legal system, was not terribly effective in the job.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
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In his absence was a grievance fest about a nation heading terribly off course, with foes at every turn to defy the greatness for which MAGA yearns.—
Alex J. Rouhandeh,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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In one of them, a spot attacking Harman, Checchi included a photo of the lieutenant governor — and not a bad-looking one at that.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
28 Mar. 2026
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In one of them, a spot attacking Harman, Checchi included a photo of the lieutenant governor — and not a bad-looking one at that.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Mar. 2026
Adverb
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Even if well-intentioned, this kind of unsolicited feedback can be extremely frustrating and even hurtful.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
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After the family moved to America, Crockett was diagnosed with the extremely rare syndactyly-telecanthus-anogenital and renal malformations syndrome, or STAR syndrome, which impacts different parts of the body.—
Megan Vaz,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
There are double lotteries and protections that would put a safety net beneath the very worst teams.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
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For activities lasting longer than 1-2 hours, or in very hot environments, sports drinks can help replenish carbohydrates and electrolytes, but be mindful of sugar content.—
Dr. Sarah Kinsella,
Boston Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
What starts as a playful, casual parlor game suddenly turns incredibly dark, not just because of Emma’s confession but by Rachel’s sudden turn from loyal friend to judgmental scold.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
7 Apr. 2026
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Hardside coolers are incredibly heavy when filled, but this one is easy to wheel across parking lots, beaches, and parks.—
Sian Babish,
PEOPLE,
7 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Tiffany, the Republican candidate for governor in Wisconsin, cautioned against reading too much into Tuesday’s results.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
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The Royals’ offense had its early-season frustrations a year ago before turning it on after the All-Star break — albeit too late to make a playoff run.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
9 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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In the midst of the conversion, a board member named Holden Karnofsky objected to it, arguing that the nonprofit was being severely undervalued.—
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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Tehran now relies heavily on its Shahed drones, with its missile production and launch capacity severely diminished.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Badly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/badly. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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