as in badly
in an unsatisfactory way
he tends to perform poorly on standardized tests a poorly drawn figure
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in sick
temporarily suffering from a disorder of the body
she stayed home because she was feeling poorly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of poorly
Miami Herald, 12 May 2026
Critics contend that past sales tax money has been poorly deployed and another tax will further drive up the cost of living.
—Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Dr. John De Jong, Boston Herald, 17 Aug. 2025
The researchers and their partners are also working to track local residents’ health and to measure how well or poorly interventions like masks and household air filters protected them.
—Maggie Astor, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for poorly
Adverb
And as much as Slowik wasn’t a popular pick considering how poorly the Dolphins’ passing offense performed in 2025, there still should be some optimism about his capabilities.
—Miami Herald, 12 May 2026
Critics contend that past sales tax money has been poorly deployed and another tax will further drive up the cost of living.
—Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Adjective
This involves having a poorly or non-functioning colon and is not usually reversible.
—Dr. John De Jong, Boston Herald, 17 Aug. 2025
The researchers and their partners are also working to track local residents’ health and to measure how well or poorly interventions like masks and household air filters protected them.
—Maggie Astor, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for poorly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poorly
Adverb
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While some African countries are major oil and gas producers, the continent imports the vast majority of its fuels, leaving it badly exposed to foreign energy shocks.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
14 May 2026
-
The man died immediately, but his body badly damaged one of the jet engines.—
The Denver Post Editorial Board,
Denver Post,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
The virus was first detected by health officials in Johannesburg, South Africa on May 2 after a British man became sick and was taken into intensive care, 21 days after another passenger had died.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
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This spread is usually limited to people who have close contact with a sick person.—
Alex Nitzberg,
FOXNews.com,
11 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
-
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
Adjective
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If supply is down and demand is the same, that leaves prices nowhere to go but up.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
12 May 2026
-
On the down side, there’s not a lot of history here.—
John Romano,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 May 2026
Adverb
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When a chance encounter with a distraught stranger on a subway goes horribly wrong, Reacher is drawn into a complex and deadly game that pits him against ruthless foes from the highest echelons of power.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
11 May 2026
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When a mysterious figure emerges from Judith’s past and a hit goes horribly wrong, both of their worlds are turned upside down as they’re forced to go on the run together.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
11 May 2026
Adjective
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Officials have said the test taken aboard the ship was likely a false positive, and that the physician does not have antibodies to hantavirus, indicating he was never exposed to or ill with it.—
Rebecca Cohen,
NBC news,
15 May 2026
-
After arriving back home, the visitor also became ill after getting a scratch.—
Gina Kalsi,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Poorly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poorly. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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