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
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
-
All told, the destructive flooding killed at least 136 people along a several-mile stretch of the river, raising questions about how things went so terribly wrong.—
Jim Vertuno,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Things aren’t going terribly well as of late for the Prius.—
Joel Feder,
The Drive,
8 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
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
-
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
-
Even if well-intentioned, this kind of unsolicited feedback can be extremely frustrating and even hurtful.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
-
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
-
Arthur would have looked very different had another actor played him, according to the filmmaker.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Over time, my relationship with my wife has become very difficult.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
12 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
-
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
-
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
-
If rain severely impairs your vision, pull over and wait for conditions to improve.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
12 Apr. 2026
-
If your houseplant was severely pot-bound with encircling roots, trim the overgrown roots back by one-third.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
12 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Badly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/badly. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
