poorly em 30 segundos
- Poorly means doing something in a bad or unsatisfactory way.
- It is the adverb form of 'poor' but usually refers to quality, not money.
- In the UK, it often means 'sick' or 'unwell'.
- Commonly used in professional and academic critiques.
The word poorly is a versatile adverb that primarily describes actions performed in an unsatisfactory, inadequate, or inferior manner. At its core, it signifies a lack of quality, skill, or success in how something is executed. When you say someone did something poorly, you are indicating that the result fell below the expected standard or was simply not good enough.
- Functional Performance
- This refers to how a task is carried out. For example, a machine might run poorly if it hasn't been oiled, or a student might perform poorly on a test due to lack of sleep.
- Health and Well-being
- In British English and some other dialects, 'poorly' is frequently used as an adjective to mean 'unwell' or 'sick'. To say 'I feel a bit poorly' is a common, slightly understated way of saying you are ill.
- Social and Economic Context
- It can describe how people are treated or how resources are allocated, such as a 'poorly funded' school or a 'poorly treated' employee.
"The team played poorly in the first half, but they managed to recover after the break."
Understanding 'poorly' requires recognizing its relationship with the adjective 'poor'. While 'poor' often relates to a lack of money, 'poorly' as an adverb almost always relates to the quality of an action. It is the opposite of 'well' or 'effectively'. If a plan is poorly conceived, it means the thinking behind it was flawed from the start. If a house is poorly built, the construction quality is low.
"The instructions were so poorly written that no one could assemble the desk."
In professional settings, 'poorly' is a common descriptor in performance reviews. It is a direct but relatively neutral way to criticize work without necessarily being insulting. It focuses on the output rather than the person's character. For instance, 'The report was poorly researched' critiques the effort put into the document, not the intelligence of the author.
Using poorly correctly involves placing it after the verb it modifies or before a past participle used as an adjective. It is a standard adverb of manner.
- After the Verb
- The most common placement. 'She speaks French poorly.' Here, it tells us about the quality of her speaking.
- Before Past Participles
- Used to create compound descriptors. 'A poorly designed app' or 'a poorly lit room'.
"The patient responded poorly to the new medication, showing signs of an allergic reaction."
When using 'poorly' to describe health (mostly in UK English), it functions as a predicative adjective. You would say 'He is poorly' or 'She looks poorly'. Note that you don't usually say 'a poorly man' (attributive use); instead, you'd say 'a sick man' or 'an unwell man'.
You will encounter poorly in a variety of environments, from clinical settings to corporate boardrooms. Its usage shifts slightly depending on the geography and the formality of the situation.
- In the Workplace: Managers use it to describe KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) that aren't being met. "The campaign performed poorly in the Midwest region."
- In Healthcare (UK/Commonwealth): Doctors and nurses use it to describe a patient's state. "The child has been quite poorly all week with a high fever."
- In Academic Feedback: Teachers use it to point out areas for improvement. "This essay is poorly structured, making your argument hard to follow."
"The film was poorly received by critics, despite its massive budget and star-studded cast."
In news media, 'poorly' is often paired with words like 'managed', 'timed', or 'organized'. It serves as a way to critique public policy or corporate decisions. For example, 'The evacuation was poorly coordinated' is a common journalistic phrase during emergencies.
Even though 'poorly' is a common word, learners often trip up on its specific nuances and grammatical constraints.
- Mistake 1: Overusing it for 'Badly'
- While often interchangeable, 'badly' can sometimes imply a stronger negative emotion or intent. 'He behaved poorly' is a bit softer than 'He behaved badly'.
- Mistake 2: The 'Feel Poorly' Confusion
- Learners often think 'I feel poorly' means 'I feel like a poor person'. In reality, it means 'I feel sick'.
- Mistake 3: Adverb vs Adjective
- Using 'poor' when 'poorly' is needed. Incorrect: 'The car runs poor.' Correct: 'The car runs poorly.'
To enrich your vocabulary, it's helpful to understand the synonyms and related terms that can replace poorly depending on the context.
- Inadequately
- Focuses on the lack of enough resources or quality. "The staff were inadequately trained."
- Substandardly
- A more formal, technical term used in manufacturing or construction. "The materials were substandardly applied."
- Ill (Adjective)
- The direct synonym for the health-related use of 'poorly'. "She is ill" vs "She is poorly".
"The event was shoddily organized, leading to total chaos at the entrance." (Shoddily is a more informal, stronger version of poorly).
How Formal Is It?
Nível de dificuldade
Gramática essencial
Adverb placement
Compound adjectives with hyphens (e.g., poorly-made)
Linking verbs and adjectives
Exemplos por nível
I sing poorly.
I don't sing well.
Adverb of manner.
He draws poorly.
His drawings are not good.
Modifies the verb 'draws'.
The car runs poorly.
The car has problems.
Describes the action of the engine.
I feel poorly.
I am sick.
Adjective use (UK English).
She writes poorly.
Her writing is hard to read.
Adverb.
They play poorly together.
They don't work as a team.
Modifies 'play'.
The dog behaves poorly.
The dog is bad.
Adverb of manner.
He cooks poorly.
His food is not tasty.
Modifies 'cooks'.
The movie was poorly made.
The movie was bad quality.
Poorly + past participle.
I did poorly on my exam.
I got a low grade.
Common phrase 'do poorly'.
The room is poorly lit.
There is not enough light.
Poorly + adjective.
He slept poorly last night.
He didn't sleep well.
Modifies 'slept'.
The plant is growing poorly.
The plant is not healthy.
Present continuous + adverb.
She was treated poorly at work.
People were mean to her.
Passive voice + adverb.
The instructions were poorly written.
The manual was confusing.
Poorly + past participle.
He is feeling poorly today.
He is sick today.
Adjective use (UK).
The event was poorly organized.
The planning was bad.
Used to critique management.
The house is poorly insulated.
Heat escapes easily.
Technical description.
He explained the concept poorly.
His explanation was unclear.
Adverb of manner.
The company is performing poorly.
The company is losing money.
Business context.
The bridge was poorly constructed.
The building quality was low.
Describing infrastructure.
She was poorly prepared for the interview.
She didn't study enough.
Poorly + past participle.
The soil is poorly drained.
Water stays in the soil too long.
Agricultural context.
The software is poorly documented.
There are no good manuals.
Tech context.
The policy was poorly implemented.
The rollout was a failure.
Formal/Political context.
His comments were poorly timed.
He said it at the wrong moment.
Social nuance.
The data was poorly analyzed.
The study had errors.
Scientific context.
The city is poorly served by public transport.
Buses and trains are bad.
Passive construction.
The film was poorly edited.
The cuts were bad.
Artistic critique.
The patient is still quite poorly.
The patient is still very sick.
Clinical UK English.
The argument was poorly supported.
There was no evidence.
Academic context.
The area is poorly signposted.
There are not enough signs.
Describing logistics.
The initiative was poorly received by the public.
People didn't like the idea.
Formal passive.
The characters were poorly developed in the novel.
The writing was shallow.
Literary criticism.
The risks were poorly understood at the time.
People didn't know the danger.
Abstract analysis.
The funds were poorly allocated.
The money was spent badly.
Financial critique.
The building is poorly integrated into the landscape.
It looks out of place.
Architectural critique.
The survey was poorly designed, leading to biased results.
The methodology was flawed.
Research terminology.
He articulated his concerns rather poorly.
He didn't explain his worries well.
Nuanced adverb use.
The ecosystem is poorly equipped to handle the heat.
The nature cannot survive the heat.
Environmental context.
The nuances of the text were poorly grasped by the translator.
The translator missed the subtle points.
High-level critique.
The project was poorly conceived from its inception.
It was a bad idea from the start.
Sophisticated phrasing.
The legal framework is poorly adapted to modern technology.
The laws are too old.
Legal/Societal context.
The candidate fared poorly in the latest polls.
The politician is losing support.
Idiomatic 'fare poorly'.
The evidence was poorly synthesized in the report.
The summary of facts was bad.
Academic synthesis.
The melody was poorly harmonized with the lyrics.
The music and words didn't match.
Artistic nuance.
The community is poorly positioned to resist the changes.
They don't have the power to stop it.
Sociopolitical analysis.
The theory is poorly substantiated by empirical data.
There is no real proof for the theory.
Scientific rigor.
Colocações comuns
Frases Comuns
Frequentemente confundido com
Badly is often more intense or emotional.
Poor is an adjective; poorly is an adverb.
Poverty is the noun for being poor.
Expressões idiomáticas
Fácil de confundir
Padrões de frases
Como usar
UK: Sick; US: Badly.
Neutral to formal.
- Saying 'he plays poor' instead of 'he plays poorly'.
- Using 'poorly' to mean 'having no money'.
- Confusing 'poorly' with 'badly' in contexts of morality.
- Misusing the British 'sick' meaning in US formal writing.
- Forgetting the hyphen in compound adjectives.
Dicas
Adverb Position
Place 'poorly' after the action verb.
Synonym Choice
Use 'inadequately' for a more formal tone.
UK English
Use it to mean 'sick' when in London.
Critique
Use 'poorly' to criticize work politely.
The 'LY' Rule
Most adverbs end in -ly, like poorly.
Softening
It's softer than saying 'that was terrible'.
Context Clues
Check if the topic is health or work.
Compound Adjectives
Use a hyphen: 'poorly-lit'.
Literature
Look for it in 19th-century novels.
IELTS/TOEFL
Good word for describing trends in graphs.
Memorize
Origem da palavra
Middle English
Contexto cultural
Commonly used for children or the elderly who are unwell.
Used to describe underperforming stocks or departments.
Pratique na vida real
Contextos reais
Iniciadores de conversa
"Have you ever done poorly on a test you studied hard for?"
"What do you do when you feel a bit poorly?"
"Why do some movies perform poorly at the box office?"
"Is your neighborhood poorly served by buses?"
"Have you ever bought a poorly made product?"
Temas para diário
Describe a time you performed poorly and what you learned.
Write about a poorly designed object you use every day.
How do you take care of yourself when you are feeling poorly?
Discuss a poorly understood scientific concept.
Perguntas frequentes
10 perguntasYes, but it is much more common in the UK. Americans usually say 'I feel sick'.
No, in British English it can be an adjective meaning 'unwell'.
The opposite is 'well' or 'successfully'.
No, you should say 'a poor car' or 'a car that runs poorly'.
It is neutral and acceptable in both formal and informal contexts.
No, that is 'poor'. 'Poorly' refers to quality or health.
It is 'more poorly'.
Yes, it always describes something in a negative way.
Yes, to describe their health or their performance.
Yes, to describe 'poorly correlated' data.
Teste-se 180 perguntas
/ 180 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
Use 'poorly' to describe an action that lacks quality or a person who feels unwell. It is a more formal and precise alternative to 'badly' in many contexts.
- Poorly means doing something in a bad or unsatisfactory way.
- It is the adverb form of 'poor' but usually refers to quality, not money.
- In the UK, it often means 'sick' or 'unwell'.
- Commonly used in professional and academic critiques.
Adverb Position
Place 'poorly' after the action verb.
Synonym Choice
Use 'inadequately' for a more formal tone.
UK English
Use it to mean 'sick' when in London.
Critique
Use 'poorly' to criticize work politely.
Exemplo
He performed poorly on the test because he hadn't studied.
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Gramática relacionada
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a lot of
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about
A1Sobre ; a respeito de algo. Exemplo: Um livro sobre animais.
above
A2Indica uma posição mais alta do que outra coisa, logo acima.
accident
A2Um acidente é um evento inesperado que causa danos ou ferimentos.
action
A2Ação é o processo de fazer algo para alcançar um objetivo.
after
A2Depois do jantar, fomos dar um passeio.
afterward
A2Jantamos e fomos dar um passeio depois.
again
A2A palavra 'again' significa 'novamente' ou 'outra vez'. É usada para indicar repetição.
aged
B1De uma idade específica ; idoso ou curado. O vinho envelhecido é ótimo.
alive
A2Vivo, que não está morto. Exemplo: 'O pássaro está vivo.'
