badly

adverb
UK: /ˈbæd.li/
US: /ˈbæd.li/

  1. In a way that is not successful or effective.

    1. I played badly today. [ ] [ ]
    2. The company performed so badly that they had to declare bankruptcy. [ ] [ ]

  2. To a great or serious degree; severely.

    1. I hurt my knee badly. [ ] [ ]
    2. She was badly affected by the news of her friend's accident. [ ] [ ]

  3. In a way that shows you are sorry or feel guilty.

    1. He behaved badly at the party. [ ] [ ]
    2. The children were behaving badly so their parents sent them to bed early. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

poorly terribly

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "badly" in English means: In a way that is not successful or effective., To a great or serious degree; severely., In a way that shows you are sorry or feel guilty..

The phonetic transcription of "badly" is /ˈbæd.li/ in British English and /ˈbæd.li/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "badly": poorly, terribly.

Example usage of "badly": "I played badly today.". More examples on the page.