poorly
Americanadverb
adjective
adverb
adjective
Etymology
Origin of poorly
First recorded in 1250–1300, poorly is from the Middle English word pourely. See poor, -ly
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Nevertheless, the discovery gives scientists a new anatomical pathway to study and a possible explanation for processes that have remained poorly understood for decades.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 11, 2026
If the measurement is higher or lower than “ideal,” the app provides a short blurb about what that could mean, like I could have slept poorly or had too much caffeine.
From Slate ● Oct. 9, 2026
The Warner Bros. film was expected to do poorly after polarizing reviews from critics and a challenging marketing campaign.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2026
What stands out is that in the summer of 2023 and early-2025, the financial sector performed poorly when the yield curve steepened.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026
It worked poorly on a powerful being like a god.
From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
