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badly

PRIMARY MEANINGS OF: badly

1
 adv
to a severe or serious degree
2
 adv
in a disadvantageous way; to someone's disadvantage
FULL DEFINITIONS OF: badly
1

adv to a severe or serious degree

“fingers so badly frozen they had to be amputated”
“badly injured”
Synonyms:
gravely, seriously, severely

adv with great intensity (`bad' is a nonstandard variant for `badly')

“the injury hurt badly”
“the buildings were badly shaken”
Synonyms:
bad

adv 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”
Synonyms:
bad
2

adv in a disadvantageous way; to someone's disadvantage

“the venture turned out badly for the investors”
Synonyms:
disadvantageously
Antonyms:
advantageously, well
in a manner affording benefit or advantage

adv (`ill' is often used as a combining form) in a poor or improper or unsatisfactory manner; not well

“the car runs badly”
“he performed badly on the exam”
Synonyms:
ill, poorly
Antonyms:
good, well
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (`good' is a nonstandard dialectal variant for `well')

adv without skill or in a displeasing manner

“she writes badly”
“I think he paints very badly”
Antonyms:
well
with skill or in a pleasing manner

adv in a disobedient or naughty way

“he behaved badly in school”
Synonyms:
mischievously, naughtily

adv evilly or wickedly

“treated his parents badly”
“to steal is to act badly”

adv unfavorably or with disapproval

“thought badly of him for his lack of concern”
Synonyms:
ill
Antonyms:
well
favorably; with approval

adv 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”
Antonyms:
well
without unusual distress or resentment; with good humor
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