poorly
- 01 B1 Intermediate
adv.to do something in a way that is not good or lacks skill.
adv.in a manner that lacks skill, quality, or effectiveness.
Simple“The house was poorly built and had many problems with the roof.”
In context“The report was so poorly researched that the board of directors rejected the proposal without further discussion.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
adv.to think of someone or something in a negative way.
adv.in a negative or unfavourable manner; used with verbs like 'think' or 'speak'.
Simple“If you arrive late every day, your boss will think poorly of you.”
In context“Critics spoke poorly of the director's latest film, citing a lack of character development and a predictable plot.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 03 B1 Intermediate
adj.feeling sick or not very healthy.
adj.unwell, sick, or in poor health; typically used as a predicative adjective.
Simple“My grandmother has been a bit poorly lately, so she is staying in bed.”
In context“The doctor advised him to stay home for a few days as he was still looking rather poorly after the flu.”
UsageUsually follows a linking verb like 'be' or 'feel'.
Teacher's tipThis is very common in British English but sounds quite formal or old-fashioned to American speakers.
Usage poorly understood · poorly insulated · poorly maintained
From Middle English poorly, pouerly, poreliche, poureliche, pouerliche, equivalent to poor + -ly.
From poor + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.