BADLY Definition & Meaning

View synonyms for

badly

[ bad-lee ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adverb

worse, worst.

in a defective, incorrect, or undesirable way:
The car runs badly.
in an unsatisfactory, inadequate, or unskilled manner:
a vague, badly written letter; He paints badly.
unfavorably:
His neighbors spoke badly of him. The weather turned out badly for the cruise.
in a wicked, evil, or morally or legally wrong way.
in a disobedient, naughty, or ethically or socially wrong way:
He treats his parents badly.
very much; to a great extent or degree:
a house badly in need of repair; to want something badly.
severely; direly:
to be injured badly.
with great distress, resentment, regret, or emotional display:
She took the news of her mother's death badly.

adjective

in ill health; sick:
He felt badly.
sorry; regretful:
I feel badly about your reaction to my remark.
dejected; downcast.

badly

/ ˈ��æ��ɪ /

adverb

poorly; defectively; inadequately
the chair is badly made
unfavourably; unsuccessfully; unfortunately
our scheme worked out badly
severely; gravely
he was badly hurt
incorrectly or inaccurately
to speak German badly
improperly; naughtily; wickedly
to behave badly
without humanity; cruelly
to treat someone badly
very much (esp in the phrases need badly , badly in need of , want badly )
regretfully
he felt badly about it
badly off
poor; impoverished

adjective

dialect.
postpositive ill; poorly

Discover More

Usage Note

In the sense “very much,” badly is fully standard: He needs help badly. bad ¹.

Discover More

51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of badly¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English baddeli, baddeliche, badli(che) “wickedly, evilly, poorly”; bad ¹, -ly

Discover More

Idioms and Phrases

badly off. bad ¹( def 41 ).

Discover More

Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Farmers were hammered by retaliatory tariffs during Trump’s first term as badly as the rest of us will be damaged in his second; farm bankruptcies soared, as did Farm Belt suicides.

From

Despite holding political power, the Nazis badly needed those men.

From

Fabian Hotel director Fabian will finally have a big singing number that goes so badly that multiple guests start taking shots at him.

From

She bought some tinned semolina so her children could try - and it didn't go too badly.

From

After months of anxiously waiting, South Koreans have some badly needed closure.

From

Related 51�Թ�s

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Browse