badly
/ˈbædli/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈbædli/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈbad-lē/ (ame, mw)
badly — adverb
1. to a level where the harm, injury, or damage is heavy and serious
to a level where the harm, injury, or damage is heavy and serious
Nia was badly hurt when her bicycle hit a parked van.
badly + past participle (badly hurt)
The old library roof was badly damaged in the storm last night.
badly damaged for physical destruction
Rice farmers in southern Taiwan have been badly affected by the eight-month drought.
Two firefighters were badly burned while rescuing a family from the kitchen fire.
Sofia's left arm was badly bruised after she fell off her horse on Saturday.
文法句型
badly + past participle (badly damaged, badly hurt, badly affected)
用法筆記
Almost always pairs with a past participle describing harm (hurt, injured, damaged, burned, affected) or a verb of performance (do, suffer, fare). Distinguish from sense 2: this sense is about how serious the harm is, not how poorly something was done.
常見錯誤
2. while doing an action, showing poor skill, little care, or rude conduct at the m
while doing an action, showing poor skill, little care, or rude conduct at the moment it is being performed
Bao sang so badly at the party that the dog hid under the table.
verb + badly for poor skill
The instructions were written badly, so I built the shelf upside down.
Sven behaved badly at her cousin's wedding and refused to eat the cake.
The taxi driver parked so badly that his back wheels stuck out into the bike lane.
Daniel pitched the new app badly and the investors rejected it within ten minutes.
- poorly
slightly more neutral; common with performance verbs (perform poorly)
- clumsily
focuses on physical awkwardness rather than overall quality
- carelessly
highlights lack of care, not lack of skill
文法句型
verb + badly (sing badly, drive badly, behave badly)
用法筆記
Often follows a verb of action (sing, dance, drive, write, behave). Distinguish from sense 1: here the focus is on the quality of how an action is done, not on harm or damage. Distinguish from sense 4: 'behaved badly' (rude conduct) vs. 'the team did badly' (sense 4, lost the match).
常見錯誤
3. very much, used after verbs like want, need, or miss to show that the feeling is
very much, used after verbs like want, need, or miss to show that the feeling is strong
After two days in the desert, the hikers wanted water so badly they cried.
want + something + badly
Kenji needed the scholarship badly because his family could not afford the tuition.
need + something + badly
Sofia missed her grandmother badly during her first month at college in Boston.
The garden needs rain badly; the tomatoes are turning yellow on the vine.
Our team wanted to win that final match badly, but we lost by one point.
- desperately
stronger; suggests urgency or near-panic
- very much
neutral and works with a wider range of verbs
- really
informal; common in spoken English (I really want it)
文法句型
want / need / miss + something + badly
用法筆記
Restricted to verbs of desire and need: want, need, miss, crave, long. Cannot replace 'very much' with action verbs (you cannot say 'I love her badly'). Distinguish from sense 1: 'badly hurt' (harm) vs. 'badly want' (intensity of feeling).
常見錯誤
4. with a final outcome that is a failure or that leaves the people involved disapp
with a final outcome that is a failure or that leaves the people involved disappointed
The job interview went badly, and Hannah left in tears before lunch.
go badly: an event with a poor outcome
The kitchen renovation turned out badly, with leaking pipes and crooked tiles.
turn out badly: a poor final result
The company did badly last quarter and had to lay off twenty workers.
The business partnership ended badly for the two brothers, who never spoke to each other again.
Our class did badly in the national maths test, with only three students passing.
- poorly
very close; slightly more formal in test or business reports
- unsuccessfully
more formal; emphasises the failure rather than the disappointment
- well
the standard positive opposite (the interview went well)
- successfully
more formal; emphasises a clear positive outcome
文法句型
do / go / fare / turn out + badly
用法筆記
Subject is usually an event, project, or person being judged on results (interview, exam, business, team). Distinguish from sense 2: sense 2 judges how the action was performed at the time; sense 4 judges the final outcome that follows. Often pairs with 'for + person' to show who was disadvantaged.