badly Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. adverb to a severe or serious degree
    gravely; seriously; severely.
    • fingers so badly frozen they had to be amputated
    • badly injured
    • a severely impaired heart
    • is gravely ill
    • was seriously ill
  2. adverb (`ill' is often used as a combining form) in a poor or improper or unsatisfactory manner; not well
    ill; poorly.
    • he was ill prepared
    • it ill befits a man to betray old friends
    • the car runs badly
    • he performed badly on the exam
    • the team played poorly
    • ill-fitting clothes
    • an ill-conceived plan
  3. adverb evilly or wickedly
    • treated his parents badly
    • to steal is to act badly
  4. adverb in a disobedient or naughty way
    naughtily; mischievously.
    • he behaved badly in school
    • he mischievously looked for a chance to embarrass his sister
    • behaved naughtily when they had guests and was sent to his room
  5. adverb with great intensity (`bad' is a nonstandard variant for `badly')
    bad.
    • the injury hurt badly
    • the buildings were badly shaken
    • it hurts bad
    • we need water bad
  6. adverb very much; strongly
    bad.
    • I wanted it badly enough to work hard for it
    • the cables had sagged badly
    • they were badly in need of help
    • he wants a bicycle so bad he can taste it
  7. adverb without skill or in a displeasing manner
    • she writes badly
    • I think he paints very badly
  8. adverb in a disadvantageous way; to someone's disadvantage
    disadvantageously.
    • the venture turned out badly for the investors
    • angry that the case was settled disadvantageously for them
  9. adverb unfavorably or with disapproval
    ill.
    • tried not to speak ill of the dead
    • thought badly of him for his lack of concern
  10. adverb with unusual distress or resentment or regret or emotional display
    • they took their defeat badly
    • took her father's death badly
    • conducted himself very badly at the time of the earthquake

WordNet


Bad"ly adverb
Definitions
  1. In a bad manner; poorly; not well; unskillfully; imperfectly; unfortunately; grievously; so as to cause harm; disagreeably; seriously. Badly is often used colloquially for very much or very greatly, with words signifying to want or need.

Webster 1913