Poorly
/ˈpɔːrli/
Definitions
2 meaningsIn an unsatisfactory or inadequate manner; badly.
/ˈpɔːrli/
In a bad or unsatisfactory way
The team played poorly and lost the game.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're trying to bake a cake, but it comes out burnt and tastes yucky. That's doing something poorly! It means you didn't do it well.
👶 For kids: Not very good. Like if you draw a picture that isn't very pretty.
More Examples
She managed her finances poorly and ended up in debt.
The building was constructed poorly, and now it leaks during rain.
How It's Used
"He performed poorly on the exam."
"The patient's condition responded poorly to the treatment."
In a state of ill health; unwell.
/ˈpɔːrli/
In a state of ill health
I've been feeling poorly since yesterday.
💡 Simply: When you're feeling a bit under the weather, like you have a cold or a tummy ache, you're feeling poorly.
👶 For kids: Feeling sick or not well.
More Examples
The elderly woman was taken to the hospital because she was feeling poorly.
He's poorly today, so he's staying home from school.
How It's Used
"She had been feeling poorly all week."
Idioms & expressions
do poorly
To perform in a bad or unsuccessful way.
"The company did poorly in the stock market this year."
feel poorly
To experience physical discomfort or sickness; to be unwell.
"She's been feeling poorly for a few days, so she stayed in bed."
From Middle English *porly*, equivalent to "poor" + "-ly".
The word 'poorly' has been used in similar contexts since the Middle Ages, primarily to describe actions or conditions.
Memory tip
Think of someone struggling to do something, like playing the piano poorly.