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.
Write badly, write often, and trust that the good ideas are on the other side of the imperfect ones. — Faye Bradley, Variety, 2 July 2026 Critics say the earthquake response has badly damaged that claim. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 29 June 2026 Most victims are badly injured or buried by falling stones or other debris. — ABC News, 29 June 2026 On the way to the oyster farm, Luke asks about a ring Joy is wearing, which turns out to be from an engagement that ended badly. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 30 June 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 10 Jul. 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

More from Merriam-Webster on badly

Nglish: Translation of badly for Spanish Speakers

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