badly

Examples

• All

• You behaved badly.

  Anna Karenina (2012)

• All my life I've been treated badly.

  Zombie Bro (2020)

• - The worst thing is knowing how badly I treated you, Joe.

  His Stretch of Texas Ground (2021)

• You get to treat them badly on the way down, too.

  Scrooged (1988)

• Some people would act badly even in front of St. Peter.

  Fiction book (1994)

• Did I treat you badly?

  Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

• People started behaving badly, taking out their fear on each other.

  Academic text (2011)

• She knew she had behaved badly when she ignored her friend's calls.

• After being scolded, he realized that he had acted badly in front of his teacher.

• Treating others badly can damage relationships and lead to feelings of regret.

Synonyms

T

terribly

vsbadly

378 1.0

In a very bad way

carries moral or naughty meaning not covered by mere poor quality

H

horribly

vsbadly

126 3.5

In a very bad or shocking way

is also used for simple disobedience or minor bad actions

A

awfully

vsbadly

70 3.0

To happen in a very bad or unpleasant way

adds moral or disobedient sense beyond general unpleasantness

D

dreadfully

vsbadly

18 4.4

Shows that something is very bad, unpleasant, or extreme

also includes nonfearful naughty or morally wrong conduct

D

dishonorably

vsbadly

• US

9 6.8

In a shameful way that shows no honesty

also covers playful or childish disobedience rather than only disgrace

E

egregiously

vsbadly

6 8.2

In an extremely bad and obvious way that shocks people

is more about disobedient or naughty acts than shocking severity

W

wickedly

vsbadly

5 6.3

In an evil and cruel way that harms other people

is broader, including disobedience and less severe bad behavior

E

evilly

vsbadly

4 8.4

In a cruel way to hurt or frighten others

covers both evil intent and ordinary naughty conduct

A

abysmally

vsbadly

4 7.0

In a very bad way that shows poor quality or failure

is more about moral fault or deliberate disobedience than sheer badness

M

mischievously

vsbadly

3 4.6

In a playful way that causes small trouble to make people laugh

is more about serious disobedience or moral wrongness than play

M

meanly

vsbadly

1 7.0

In a cruel way that shows unkind feelings and hurts others

can mean morally wrong but also low quality or poor outcome

V

vilely

vsbadly

1 8.2

In a very cruel and unfair way

can also mean simple rule-breaking or less severe wrongs

N

naughtily

vsbadly

1 5.1

In a playful way that breaks rules

is about moral wrongness rather than simple playful rule-breaking

N

nefariously

vsbadly

• Formal

1 8.9

In a very dishonest or illegal way

also includes milder naughty or disobedient actions

F

foully

vsbadly

1 7.9

In a very unfair and cruel way

is more general, including minor naughtiness or disobedience

U

unrighteously

vsbadly

• Formal

8.5

In a way that is wrong or unfair

also covers childish disobedience as well as moral wrongdoing

R

rottenly

vsbadly

7.4

In a very bad or unpleasant way

also applies to childish disobedience or light misbehavior

R

reprehensibly

vsbadly

8.1

In a way that deserves a lot of blame for bad behavior

is broader, including both blameworthy acts and light mischief

Antonyms

O

obediently

12 2.7

In a willing way to do what someone says

How Moral

properly

686 1.0

morally

193 3.5

improperly

49 3.4

badly

19 1.0

immorally

1 7.2

wickedly

5 6.3

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology