Word
poorly
Phoneticspoor·ly, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈpuɹɫi/
UK/pˈɔːli/
Definitions
01badly or with low skill
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.
“The house was poorly built and had many problems with the roof.”
“The report was so poorly researched that the board of directors rejected the proposal without further discussion.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02with disapproval
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'.
“If you arrive late every day, your boss will think poorly of you.”
“Critics spoke poorly of the director's latest film, citing a lack of character development and a predictable plot.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
03unwell or sick
B1 · Intermediate British English
adj. feeling sick or not very healthy.
adj. unwell, sick, or in poor health; typically used as a predicative adjective.
“My grandmother has been a bit poorly lately, so she is staying in bed.”
“The doctor advised him to stay home for a few days as he was still looking rather poorly after the flu.”
Usage
Usually follows a linking verb like 'be' or 'feel'.
Teaching tip
This is very common in British English but sounds quite formal or old-fashioned to American speakers.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “poorly” in context.
Verb
01. poorly perform
“Students who do not get enough sleep often poorly perform on their exams.”
adv + verb
02. poorly understood
03. poorly insulated
04. poorly maintained
Etymology
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.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
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.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL 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: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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