as in badly
in an unsatisfactory way
he tends to perform poorly on standardized tests a poorly drawn figure
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in sick
temporarily suffering from a disorder of the body
she stayed home because she was feeling poorly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of poorly
Kyle Chayka, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2025
Some previous proposals have faced criticism for being poorly thought out.
—Jin Yu Young, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2025
Adam Taylor, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024
Story will be a free agent and at this stage why would an accomplished player stay with the poorly run Rockies?
—BostonGlobe.com, 27 Mar. 2021
See All Example Sentences for poorly
Adverb
When the country started faring poorly in the war, the military pushed to continue the campaign past the point that technocrats considered feasible.
—Kyle Chayka, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2025
Some previous proposals have faced criticism for being poorly thought out.
—Jin Yu Young, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
Both the United States and the United Nations have stepped back from leadership roles, a reflection of how poorly interventions in Haiti have gone and also the wide range of issues in other parts of the world at the moment.
—Adam Taylor, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024
Story will be a free agent and at this stage why would an accomplished player stay with the poorly run Rockies?
—BostonGlobe.com, 27 Mar. 2021
See All Example Sentences for poorly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poorly
Adverb
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But Trump's pullback has shaken European nations badly and raised questions over how the continent could defend itself in a real crisis without the U.S. backing that has protected much of Europe from the potential Russian threat since the end of World War II.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
1 Mar. 2025
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The region was badly hit by Storm Bert and Storm Darragh in November and December, and many families and businesses are still recovering.—
Meredith Kile,
People.com,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Measles is an infection that can make even healthy children very sick.—
Brenda Goodman and Neha Mukherjee,
CNN,
6 Mar. 2025
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Less than 10 minutes later, at that same rally, gunfire rang out and a sick and deranged assassin unloaded eight bullets from his sniper’s perch into a crowd of many thousands of people.—
TIME Staff,
TIME,
5 Mar. 2025
Adverb
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Remember, too much of a good thing can turn bad quickly!—
Amber Smith,
Discover Magazine,
3 Apr. 2024
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That started off bad and got better.—
Vulture,
Vulture,
21 Feb. 2023
Adjective
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There is a lot to prove for Cozens, who many believe still has an upside worth tapping into despite back-to-back down seasons in Buffalo.—
Julian McKenzie,
The Athletic,
9 Mar. 2025
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But now would be the time to test his commitment to Pettersson in what has been a down season for him: 12 goals and 24 assists through 56 games.—
Phil Thompson,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The domoic acid event impacting adult animals comes just as centers are gearing up to rescue pups born last summer that often come in dehydrated and ill this time of year because of a lack of food sources.—
Erika I. Ritchie,
Orange County Register,
28 Feb. 2025
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The virus spreads easily and can make anyone ill, with symptoms usually lasting one to three days.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
28 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Poorly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poorly. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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