poorly

1 of 2

adverb

poor·​ly ˈpu̇r-lē How to pronounce poorly (audio)
ˈpȯr-
Synonyms of poorlynext
: in a poor condition or manner
especially : in an inferior or imperfect way : badly
sang poorly

poorly

2 of 2

adjective

: somewhat ill : indisposed

Synonyms

Adverb

Adjective

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 

Examples of poorly in a Sentence

Adverb he tends to perform poorly on standardized tests Adjective she stayed home because she was feeling poorly
Recent Examples on the Web
Adverb
Some vitamins are known to interact poorly with certain prescription meds. —Abc News, ABC News, 17 May 2024 Yet experts fundamentally disagree that Xi is poorly briefed. —Charlie Campbell, TIME, 17 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for poorly 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'poorly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1570, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of poorly was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing poorly

Dictionary Entries Near poorly

poor law

poorly

poorly kept secret

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Poorly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poorly. Accessed 21 May. 2024.

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Kids Definition

poorly

adjective
poor·​ly
ˈpu̇(ə)r-lē,
ˈpō(ə)r-
: somewhat ill

More from Merriam-Webster on poorly

Nglish: Translation of poorly for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of poorly for Arabic Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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