Meaning & use
badly
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Meanings
adverb
In a way that is not skillful, successful, or satisfactory.
Grammar: Used to describe how an action is done; often comes after the verb or at the end of a clause.
Patterns
- do something badly
- be badly made
- play badly
She sings badly, but she loves it.
The team played badly and lost the match.
The house was badly built and needs repairs.
adverbinformal
Very much or seriously; used to emphasize a need, wish, or condition.
Grammar: Common with 'need', 'want', or 'behave'; in formal writing, use 'urgently' or 'greatly' instead.
Patterns
- badly need something
- badly want something
- be badly hurt
I badly need a cup of coffee.
He badly wanted to see her again.
She was badly injured in the accident.
Common combinations
- badly hurt
- He was badly hurt in the fall.
- badly damaged
- The storm badly damaged the roof.
- badly need
- We badly need more time.
- badly behaved
- The badly behaved child was sent home.
- do badly
- She did badly on the test.
Synonyms and how they differ
- poorly
- More formal and often used for health or performance; 'badly' is more general.
- seriously
- Focuses on the severity of harm or damage; 'badly' can also mean 'very much'.
- severely
- Stronger and more formal, used for injuries or punishments.
Opposites
Word family
- bad adjective
- Of poor quality or low standard.
- badness noun
- The state of being bad.
Commonly confused: badly or bad?
badly vs bad
An adjective, not an adverb: 'a bad singer' but 'she sings badly'.
Practice
Choose the correct word: 'He did ___ on the exam because he didn't study.'
Choose one answer.
'Badly' is the adverb modifying 'did'. 'Bad' is an adjective and would need a noun, e.g. 'a bad result'. 'Worse' and 'worst' are comparative/superlative and need a comparison.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “badly”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.