Badly Definition
badly
adverb
- to a severe or serious degree; "fingers so badly frozen they had to be amputated"; "badly injured"; "a severely impaired heart"; "is gravely ill"; "was seriously ill"
- (`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"; "the car runs badly"; "he performed badly on the exam"; "the team played poorly"; "ill-fitting clothes"; "an ill-conceived plan"
- 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"; "behaved naughtily when they had guests and was sent to his room"
- with great intensity (`bad' is a nonstandard variant for `badly'); "the injury hurt badly"; "the buildings were badly shaken"; "it hurts bad"; "we need water bad"
- very much; strongly; "I wanted it badly enough to work hard for it"; "the cables had sagged badly"; "they were badly in need of help"; "he wants a bicycle so bad he can taste it"
- without skill or in a displeasing manner; "she writes badly"; "I think he paints very badly"
- 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"
- unfavorably or with disapproval; "tried not to speak ill of the dead"; "thought badly of him for his lack of concern"
- with unusual distress or resentment or regret or emotional display; "they took their defeat badly"; "took her father's death badly"; "conducted himself very badly at the time of the earthquake"
"Badly" in song lyrics
See how badly is used in real songs:
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"Parachute ratty, one bunk cord now the air is scooped badly"
Aesop Rock — Winners Take All -
"The dandruff in your hair got your shirt shook badly"
Blueprint — Lo-Fi Funk -
"Harass me Screwed Up Click, doing all you haters badly"
Botany Boys — Botany is Tha Block
Words that rhyme with badly
Usage tips for "badly"
Understanding the precise definition of a word helps you use it with confidence. When using "badly" in your writing, consider whether you need the word itself or one of its synonyms — subtle differences in meaning can change the tone of a sentence. If you're writing poetry or song lyrics, check the rhymes for badly to find words that pair well.