Badly meaning

What does “badly” mean? Definitions, examples, synonyms and opposites.

“badly” is an adverb with 10 meanings. Its most common meaning is: to a severe or serious degree.

badly

to a severe or serious degree
“fingers so badly frozen they had to be amputated”
“badly injured”
Synonymsseverely gravely seriously
(`ill' is often used as a combining form) in a poor or improper or unsatisfactory manner; not well
“he was ill prepared”
“it ill befits a man to betray old friends”
Synonymsill poorly
evilly or wickedly
“treated his parents badly”
“to steal is to act badly”
in a disobedient or naughty way
“he behaved badly in school”
“he mischievously looked for a chance to embarrass his sister”
Synonymsmischievously naughtily
with great intensity (`bad' is a nonstandard variant for `badly')
“the injury hurt badly”
“the buildings were badly shaken”
Synonymsbad
very much; strongly
“I wanted it badly enough to work hard for it”
“the cables had sagged badly”
Synonymsbad
without skill or in a displeasing manner
“she writes badly”
“I think he paints very badly”
Oppositeswell
in a disadvantageous way; to someone's disadvantage
“the venture turned out badly for the investors”
“angry that the case was settled disadvantageously for them”
Synonymsdisadvantageously
Oppositeswell
unfavorably or with disapproval
“tried not to speak ill of the dead”
“thought badly of him for his lack of concern”
Synonymsill
with unusual distress or resentment or regret or emotional display
“they took their defeat badly”
“took her father's death badly”
Oppositeswell

Source: WordNet 3.1, Princeton University