poorly Meaning & Definition
What Does Poorly Mean?
As an adverb, poorly means in a poor condition or manner. It can also mean in an inferior or imperfect way. As an adjective, it means somewhat ill.
Poorly in Brief
| Part of speech | adverb, adjective |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈpu̇r-lē/ |
| Syllables | 2 |
| Synonyms | ailing, ill and indisposed |
| Antonyms | good, well and acceptably |
| Comparative / superlative | more poorly, most poorly |
Poorly Definition (Adverb)
- in a poor condition or manner
- in an inferior or imperfect way : badly
sang poorly
Poorly as an Adjective
- somewhat ill : indisposed
feeling poorly
Synonyms of Poorly
Antonyms of Poorly
Poorly in a Sentence
to live poorly
He uses his employees poorly.
to do poorly in business
He plays tennis poorly.
I think poorly of them.
She looked poorly on that suggestion.
to report one's child poorly
I got poorly when I went abroad and ate the local food.
sang poorly
feeling poorly
he tends to perform poorly on standardized tests
a poorly drawn figure
she stayed home because she was feeling poorly
Word Forms & Grammar
poorly
poorly (comparative more poorly or (rare) poorlier, superlative most poorly or (rare) poorliest)
poorly (comparative poorlier or more poorly, superlative poorliest or most poorly)
Words That Rhyme With Poorly
Origin of Poorly
Origin 1: From Middle English poorly, pouerly, poreliche, poureliche, pouerliche, equivalent to poor + -ly.
Origin 2: From poor + -ly.
First Known Use
13th century
1570
Pronouncing Poorly
The standard pronunciation of poorly is /ˈpu̇r-lē/, spoken in 2 syllables, with the main stress on the first syllable (pu̇r).
Quick Answers About Poorly
Is poorly an adverb or an adjective?
Poorly is mainly used as an adverb, but it can also be used as an adjective.
What is another word for poorly?
You can replace poorly with words such as ailing, ill and indisposed. See the full list of poorly synonyms and antonyms.
What is the opposite of poorly?
The opposite of poorly can be expressed with words like good, well, acceptably and adequately.
What are the comparative and superlative forms of poorly?
The comparative form is more poorly and the superlative form is most poorly.