as in badly
in an unsatisfactory way
he tends to perform poorly on standardized tests a poorly drawn figure
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of poorly
Rebecca Cope, Vogue, 22 Apr. 2026
Jim warned that Honeywell shares often perform poorly after earnings.
—Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 22 Apr. 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
Things have been further complicated by the fact that Miller was treated poorly by Wilson and opened up about this to Batula.
—Rebecca Cope, Vogue, 22 Apr. 2026
Jim warned that Honeywell shares often perform poorly after earnings.
—Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 22 Apr. 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
-
Yes, some of it has aged badly, said Sarah Hemming in the Financial Times.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
23 Apr. 2026
-
This is not the first time that badly behaved tourists have been linked to damaged to the fountain.—
Jack Guy,
CNN Money,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
This animal is really, really very, very, very sick.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Cameron Collins was sick of Joe Biden.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 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
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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
Adjective
-
After losing Boye Mafe in free agency, Seattle replaces him with Parker, whose stock as a one-time top-15 prospect took a hit after a down statistical season in 2025.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
23 Apr. 2026
-
When a car reaches an overpass, there’s some probability — call it x — that the car will take the down ramp instead of the overpass.—
Erica Klarreich,
Quanta Magazine,
22 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Bradfords are horribly invasive.—
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
1 Apr. 2026
-
But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong.—
Ashlee Conour,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
How many people will fall ill with measles this year?—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
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Rendering examines how artificial intelligence is disrupting the entertainment industry, taking you inside key battlegrounds and spotlighting change makers wielding the technology for good and ill.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Poorly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poorly. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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