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
Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 27 May 2026
Fans of the Mets might joke that the team affects their mental health — poorly, at that — and watching the mental mistakes the team has been making on the field probably doesn’t help.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 27 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
But his professor couldn’t see his vision working and scored his project poorly, giving him a C.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 27 May 2026
Fans of the Mets might joke that the team affects their mental health — poorly, at that — and watching the mental mistakes the team has been making on the field probably doesn’t help.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 27 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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Teenagers behaving badly in groups is hardly a new thing, experts said.—
Corky Siemaszko,
NBC news,
28 May 2026
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Given how badly Karen Bass has fumbled as mayor, Raman couldn’t do much worse.—
Sal Rodriguez,
Daily News,
28 May 2026
Adjective
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One night in April when the boy playing Orlando was home sick and Jamie was waiting for Adele in their private coital chamber, Bromley kept her late to work on the scene where Orlando courts Rosalind playing Ganymede playing Rosalind.—
Jonathan Franzen,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
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Recently, she’s begun to feel physically sick due to everything going on in her life and is sharing with us that she’s been struggling with getting up, eating and other simple, everyday things.—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
1 June 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
Adjective
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Roy said the biggest challenge may be convincing Angelenos to cast a vote at all in what has historically been a low-turnout, down-ballot contest.—
Sonja Sharp,
Los Angeles Times,
23 May 2026
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After seven months of down time, SpaceX returned its Starship vehicle to the launch pad.—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
22 May 2026
Adverb
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His first year at Liverpool, plagued by injuries, has gone horribly wrong.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
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Obsession shows how Bear’s selfish wish removes Nikki’s agency and backfires horribly, destroying his life and eroding Nikki’s sense of self.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
Adjective
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On board the ship, several passengers became severely ill, and two died before the illness was identified as the Andes strain of hantavirus, which can spread from person to person.—
Brenda Goodman,
CNN Money,
29 May 2026
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With Kvaratskhelia taking his first steps in professional football, Badri became dangerously ill.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Poorly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poorly. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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