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

How To Use badly In A Sentence

  • I badly wanted the job, but knew that my age would probably tell against me.
  • My generation was raised on a diet of stultifyingly tedious, but worthy accounts of embryology, typically very badly printed on what appeared to be rice paper.
  • Equally badly behaved, but a little calmer and better informed, were the massive numbers from the labor unions.
  • I used to break-dance really badly. Times, Sunday Times
  • He judged the present situation badly.
  • The passengers were badly shocked but unharmed.
  • something went badly amiss in the preparations
  • They will learn more about Churchill than from this diffuse, badly edited book. Times, Sunday Times
  • We were visiting homes and hospitals to see football fans who had been badly burnt. Times, Sunday Times
  • The dress fitted badly and puckered at the waist.
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