poorly

[ poor-lee ]

adverb

1. in a poor manner or way:

   The team played poorly.

adjective

1. in poor health; somewhat ill:

   I hear she's been poorly.

poorly

/ ˈpʊəlɪ; ˈpɔː- /

adverb

1. in a poor way or manner; badly

adjective

1. informal.
   usually postpositive in poor health; rather ill

   she's poorly today

Word History and Origins

Origin of poorly¹

First recorded in 1250–1300, poorly is from the Middle English word pourely. See poor, -ly

Example Sentences

However, as Nuismer, Bull and other researchers acknowledge, a poorly designed live virus could evolve after it was released and potentially become a pathogen again — the opposite of what researchers want.

From Quanta Magazine

Not surprisingly, the politicians most eager to claim the mantle of war leaders have performed poorly and lost public support.

From Fortune

N-tuples, however, did poorly for the intricacies of a face, whose appearance also varies with illumination, tilt of the head, facial expression, and the subject’s age.

From Nautilus

Because he didn’t want poorly maintained machines to give his company a bad name, he rented the machines to his customers and included both service and support.

From MIT Technology Review

People who might have been helped by these researchers’ work will become disillusioned by technologies that perform poorly when it matters most.

From MIT Technology Review

Pitchfork called him a “a rap-obsessed misfit from a summer camp who freestyles poorly” who is “ridiculous without knowing it.”

From The Daily Beast

Opened in Sept. 2002, this “poorly managed” detention facility was the second site opened by the CIA after the 9/11 attacks.

From The Daily Beast

The problem, of course, is that the “me vs. not me” response can serve us poorly in the more social sense.

From The Daily Beast

And the criticism is always poorly packaged as concern or some sad excuse for a compliment.

From The Daily Beast

Their fighting was poorly coordinated, their weapons were vintage pieces, mostly seized from the Ukrainian military.

From The Daily Beast

Scientists tell us that from the point of view of optics the human eye is a clumsy instrument poorly contrived for its work.

From Project Gutenberg

The door opened, and there, poorly dressed in blouse and skirt, stood Miss Anne.

From Project Gutenberg

It is a poorly appointed hotel that does not now have a garage of some sort, and in many cases, necessary supplies are available.

From Project Gutenberg

It 67 was that the piece which reads smoothly seldom acts well; whereas a play that gets over the footlights usually reads poorly.

From Project Gutenberg

The Liberal candidate wanted to address the colliers in one of the Lanarkshire towns; but his meeting was very poorly attended.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• ill