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
Sean Durns, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
The Friars did just about everything poorly in their season-opening 42-14 loss at Corona Centennial.
—Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 12 Sep. 2025
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
Husseini attempted to ply him with patronage, appointing him imam of a new mosque, but the cleric’s burgeoning following augured poorly for Husseini’s grip on power.
—Sean Durns, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
The Friars did just about everything poorly in their season-opening 42-14 loss at Corona Centennial.
—Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 12 Sep. 2025
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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His brother had been badly damaged by scandal when the family's British tabloids were found to have hacked into mobile phone voicemails and otherwise violated people's privacy.—
Bill Chappell,
NPR,
10 Sep. 2025
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There’s one episode that really stuck with me about a woman who had been bullied badly in middle school.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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But many Americans who don't meet the new criteria do still want to get vaccinated to avoid getting sick or spreading the virus to vulnerable family members.—
Rob Stein,
NPR,
11 Sep. 2025
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Harry, who served in the British Armed Forces for 10 years, launched The Invictus Games in London in 2014 to honor active duty and veteran service members who have been wounded, injured or sick on the job.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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Remember, too much of a good thing can turn bad quickly!—
Amber Smith,
Discover Magazine,
3 Apr. 2024
-
That started off bad and got better.—
Vulture,
Vulture,
21 Feb. 2023
Adjective
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Williams and the Bears began to stall completely on securing crucial third down conversions.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Sep. 2025
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The violent up and down cycles were strong enough to disengage the plane’s autopilot system and cause minor damage to the plane’s interior as everything that wasn’t strapped down went flying.—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
9 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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The house is haunted by a family of farmers that lived and died on the land, murdered horribly by the patriarch of the family, but really, the problem is the demon that controls the mirror and its dark reflections.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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That’s because no outside world news makes its way to contestants during the course of the game, which means that producers would not let Jake know any details regarding his child’s birth, unless something went horribly wrong.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The pilot had fallen ill during a flight from Seattle to Istanbul.—
Shane Croucher
John Feng,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
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Serious condition, as defined by HCMC , means the patient is acutely ill and there is a chance for improved prognosis.—
Mary Murphy,
Twin Cities,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Poorly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poorly. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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