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
With energy markets badly disrupted, the Iran war has also led countries like South Korea to rethink their energy security.
—
Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2026
Men behaving badly has been a theme in Washington lately.
—Patricia Murphy, AJC.com, 15 Apr. 2026
Just like our Hornets game, this will end badly.
—Literary Hub, 14 Apr. 2026
Unfortunately, these compounds also interact badly with the nitrogen-fixing bacteria on bean roots.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for badly
Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2026
Men behaving badly has been a theme in Washington lately.
—Patricia Murphy, AJC.com, 15 Apr. 2026
Just like our Hornets game, this will end badly.
—Literary Hub, 14 Apr. 2026
Unfortunately, these compounds also interact badly with the nitrogen-fixing bacteria on bean roots.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for badly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for badly
Adverb
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Johnson, for example, shot poorly from the field on April 6, but Nickeil Alexander-Walker made seven 3s on 11 attempts for 36 points and a three-point Knicks margin of victory despite just eight Atlanta bench points.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
16 Apr. 2026
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Nevertheless, the Hawks The Ducks, despite finishing poorly this season, still managed to clinch a wild-card spot Monday and will make their first playoff appearance since 2018.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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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
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Things aren’t going terribly well as of late for the Prius.—
Joel Feder,
The Drive,
8 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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Only 11% of respondents were extremely comfortable using AI, whereas 25% were not comfortable at all using the technology.—
Jeff Lazerson,
Oc Register,
16 Apr. 2026
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These mid-rise jeans are extremely soft, crafted from 98 percent cotton.—
Caroline Hughes,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Arthur would have looked very different had another actor played him, according to the filmmaker.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
12 Apr. 2026
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Over time, my relationship with my wife has become very difficult.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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Still, what makes this tour so incredibly memorable is that the political rhetoric — which was very much stamped with a seal of approval by the crowd in San Francisco — is accompanied by some of the most life-affirming and powerful rock ‘n’ roll ever created.—
Jim Harrington,
Mercury News,
14 Apr. 2026
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Although incredibly small, these structures can have powerful effects on the human body.—
Panteha Torabian,
The Conversation,
14 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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Triple-A depth is starting to get healthy, too, with right-hander Corbin Martin coming off the IL on Sunday after dealing with back spasms and getting into Tuesday’s game, while right-hander Collin Snider (arm fatigue) is expected to pitch for Iowa in the next day or two.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
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If a plan sounds too perfect, look at the details to ensure none of them have been overlooked.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
16 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
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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 18 Apr. 2026.
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