badly

adverb

bad·​ly ˈbad-lē How to pronounce badly (audio)
Synonyms of badlynext
1
: in a bad manner
played badly
2
: to a great or intense degree
want something badly
see also:
badly off for not badly think badly of

Synonyms of badly

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Examples of badly in a Sentence

He played badly but I played even worse. The failure reflects badly on the administration. She wanted the job badly. I'm badly in need of a vacation. His fingers were badly frozen.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The league has agreed to an extended All-Star break to accommodate the Olympics, but MLB also could tire of waiting for the union to agree with LA28, which badly wants MLB players to participate. — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026 The attack badly damaged two production lines, taking out about 17% of Qatar’s LNG export capacity. — Spencer Kimball,deena Zaidi, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026 An autopsy showed Hedgepeth suffered extensive skull fractures and cuts to her face and head, and she was also badly beaten on her arms and legs. — ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026 The hurricane damaged its upper 10 floors so badly that they were later removed. — Miguel Sirgado, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for badly

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of badly was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing badly

Rhymes for badly

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Browse Nearby Words

bad luck
badly
badly off
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Cite this Entry

“Badly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/badly. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

badly

adverb
bad·​ly ˈbad-lē How to pronounce badly (audio)
worse
ˈwərs
 ; worst
ˈwərst
1
: in a bad manner
played badly
2
: very much
wanted the jeans badly
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