Cambridge Dictionaries online Cambridge Dictionaries online

The most popular online dictionary and thesaurus for learners of English

  

badly

adverb (UNPLEASANTLY)
 
 
/ˈbæd.li/ (worse, worst)

Definition

A2 in a severe and harmful way: She was badly affected by the events in her childhood. Fortunately, none of the passengers was badly hurt/injured in the crash. I thought he was treated very badly.Serious and unpleasantNot attractive to look atInformal words for bad
(Definition of badly adverb (UNPLEASANTLY) from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

“badly” in other dictionaries

Word of the Day

be under a cloud

to not be trusted or popular because people think you have done something bad

Word of the Day

Blog

Read our blog about how the English language behaves.

Learn More

New Words

Find words and meanings that have just started to be used in English, and let us know what you think of them.

Learn More