Word
badly
Phoneticsbad·ly, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈbædɫi/
UK/bˈædli/
Adverb of manner
Definitions
01poorly or incorrectly
A2 · Elementary
adv. in a way that is not good, successful, or correct.
adv. in a poor, unsatisfactory, or incompetent manner.
“The team played badly and lost the game by three goals.”
“The report was so badly written that the board members struggled to understand the primary recommendations.”
Usage
Usually follows the verb or the object of the verb.
Pitfall
He plays the piano very bad.
He plays the piano very badly.
Use the adverb 'badly' to describe an action (verb), not the adjective 'bad'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02very much
B1 · Intermediate
adv. very much or to a great degree, especially when you want or need something.
adv. used as an intensifier to indicate a high degree of need, desire, or severity.
“He wanted the job so badly that he practiced his interview for days.”
“The local infrastructure was badly damaged during the storm, requiring immediate financial intervention from the government.”
Usage
Commonly collocates with verbs like 'want', 'need', 'damage', or 'hurt'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
03unwell
C2 · Proficiency Dialect · British English
adj. feeling sick or unwell.
adj. describing a state of ill health or physical sickness.
Español:mal
“He's been feeling a bit badly lately and decided to stay in bed.”
“The old man looked quite badly after his long journey through the winter cold.”
Teaching tip
This sense is specific to certain British dialects, particularly in Northern England; most English speakers use 'ill' or 'unwell' instead.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “badly” in context.
Etymology
From Middle English badly, baddely, baddeliche, equivalent to bad + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- A2 · ElementaryOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/badly
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0