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
Questions about the singer’s connection to Hernandez’s grisly end have swirled since last summer, ever since her badly decomposed and dismembered body was found in the trunk of a Tesla linked to Burke.
—
James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Bass herself acknowledges that the city of Los Angeles is badly governed.
—Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic, 12 May 2026
Florida was never governed as badly as now, not even by the rural Democratic Pork Chop Gang that ran roughshod over the state until the late 1960s.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 11 May 2026
The scandal badly damaged the reputation of a president who took office in 2018 on an anti-corruption ticket after a decade of government graft scandals under former leader Jacob Zuma.
—ABC News, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for badly
James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Bass herself acknowledges that the city of Los Angeles is badly governed.
—Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic, 12 May 2026
Florida was never governed as badly as now, not even by the rural Democratic Pork Chop Gang that ran roughshod over the state until the late 1960s.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 11 May 2026
The scandal badly damaged the reputation of a president who took office in 2018 on an anti-corruption ticket after a decade of government graft scandals under former leader Jacob Zuma.
—ABC News, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for badly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for badly
Adverb
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Through indefatigable research, Kara fixes poorly remembered facts and makes a decent case that the publicity galvanized the movement to abolish British slavery a half century later.—
The Atlantic,
The Atlantic,
14 May 2026
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Just avoid natural stone materials like marble, which can react poorly to many cleaning products.—
Ryan Brennan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 May 2026
Adverb
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Second, the only games the Spurs have lost in this series are when either Wemby has played terribly or gotten thrown out of the game.—
Geoff Clark OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
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But even doing very little can still go terribly wrong.—
Ian Bogost,
The Atlantic,
15 May 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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But even Black athletes whose athleticism gifted them an extremely exclusive express lane in life can tell you stories about growing up a minority in America, or tales their parents or grandparents have told.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
14 May 2026
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The theory of quantum electrodynamics (QED) suggests that when light at extremely high intensities interacts with the vacuum, it can be converted into matter.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
14 May 2026
Adverb
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But Justin is very different from book to screen.—
Jennifer McClellan,
USA Today,
17 May 2026
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In isolation, Liverpool’s summer 2025 business was very good, but there are so many mitigating factors to consider.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
Adverb
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This organic cotton dress is incredibly lightweight and breathable, and the floaty skirt allows for full freedom of movement.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
20 May 2026
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From the concierge who nimbly assisted me with dining and fitness class reservations to the kind dining staff, the friendly Miami team made sure I was always taken care of and was incredibly helpful at offering local recommendations and insight.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
19 May 2026
Adverb
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Those who have ridden it before know Smugglers Run has always been responsive, perhaps too much so as inexperienced gamers could spend the entire attraction crashing the ship.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
21 May 2026
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Jamie Gittens, too, is a straightforward winger and has had a difficult first season at Stamford Bridge, struggling for a place due to form and often fitness.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
Adverb
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Duren severely underperformed in the postseason after having a career year.—
Hunter Patterson,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
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And because harpies rely on large emergent trees for nesting and an extensive, continuous canopy for hunting, even partial deforestation will severely disrupt their ability to breed and forage.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Badly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/badly. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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