Top 22 Slang For Badly – Meaning & Usage

When it comes to expressing things going wrong, we all need the right words to convey our frustrations. Whether you’re feeling under the weather or things just aren’t going your way, our team has put together a list of slang for badly that will have you nodding in agreement and maybe even laughing at how perfectly they capture those moments. So, buckle up and get ready to upgrade your vocabulary with these quirky and relatable expressions!

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1. Awfully

This term is used to describe something that is done in a very unsatisfactory or inadequate manner. It emphasizes the degree of how badly something is done.

  • For example, “He danced awfully at the party last night.”
  • A person might say, “I did awfully on the test. I didn’t study enough.”
  • Another example could be, “The team played awfully in the game and lost by a large margin.”

2. Terribly

This slang word is used to describe something that is done to an extreme degree of badness or poor quality. It emphasizes the severity or intensity of how badly something is done.

  • For instance, “She sang terribly during the talent show.”
  • A person might say, “I did terribly on the presentation. I forgot my lines.”
  • Another example could be, “The weather was terribly hot during the outdoor event.”

3. Poorly

This term is used to describe something that is done in a manner that is below the expected standard or quality. It indicates a lack of skill or effort in the execution of a task.

  • For example, “He performed poorly in the exam and got a low grade.”
  • A person might say, “The restaurant was poorly managed. The service was slow and the food was cold.”
  • Another example could be, “She painted the room poorly. There are visible streaks and uneven coverage.”

4. Horribly

This slang word is used to describe something that is done in an extremely bad or unpleasant manner. It emphasizes the negative impact or consequences of how badly something is done.

  • For instance, “The movie was horribly directed. The plot was confusing and the acting was terrible.”
  • A person might say, “I cooked the dinner horribly. It turned out burnt and unappetizing.”
  • Another example could be, “The car was horribly damaged in the accident. It’s beyond repair.”

5. Dreadfully

This term is used to describe something that is done in a manner that is extremely bad or unpleasant. It emphasizes the feeling of dread or fear associated with how badly something is done.

  • For example, “She failed the test dreadfully. She didn’t understand any of the questions.”
  • A person might say, “The party was dreadfully boring. There was no music or entertainment.”
  • Another example could be, “He was dreadfully late for the meeting. Everyone had to wait for him.”

6. Abysmally

This word is used to describe something that is done extremely poorly or in a way that is far below expectations. It emphasizes the severity of the failure or lack of competence.

  • For example, “He performed abysmally in the exam, scoring the lowest in the class.”
  • In a sports context, one might say, “The team played abysmally, losing by a huge margin.”
  • A reviewer might write, “The movie was abysmally bad, with terrible acting and a predictable plot.”

7. Inadequately

This term describes something that is done in a way that is not sufficient or up to the required standard. It suggests a lack of skill or preparation.

  • For instance, “The project was handled inadequately, resulting in numerous mistakes.”
  • In a performance review, a manager might say, “The employee performed inadequately, failing to meet the required targets.”
  • A customer might complain, “The service was provided inadequately, with slow response times and unhelpful support.”

8. Ineffectively

This word is used to describe something that is done without producing the desired or expected results. It implies a lack of effectiveness or efficiency.

  • For example, “The marketing campaign was implemented ineffectively, resulting in low sales.”
  • In a team setting, one might say, “The group worked ineffectively, with poor coordination and communication.”
  • A teacher might comment, “The student approached the assignment ineffectively, not addressing the main points.”

9. Deficiently

This term describes something that is done in a way that lacks the necessary amount or quality. It suggests a lack of adequacy or completeness.

  • For instance, “The report was written deficiently, missing important information.”
  • In a product review, a customer might say, “The item was manufactured deficiently, with parts missing or not working.”
  • A supervisor might criticize, “The employee performed deficiently, failing to meet the required standards.”

10. Incompetently

This word is used to describe something that is done without the necessary skill or ability. It implies a lack of competence or proficiency.

  • For example, “The task was completed incompetently, with numerous errors and mistakes.”
  • In a sports context, one might say, “The player performed incompetently, missing easy shots and making poor decisions.”
  • A colleague might comment, “The coworker handled the situation incompetently, causing more harm than good.”

11. Ineptly

This term refers to doing something in a manner that shows a lack of skill or ability. It suggests that the person is not proficient or capable in performing the task at hand.

  • For example, “He painted the room ineptly, leaving streaks and drips everywhere.”
  • In a discussion about a poorly executed project, someone might say, “The work was done ineptly, resulting in costly mistakes.”
  • A reviewer might criticize a performance by stating, “The actor delivered their lines ineptly, lacking emotion and believability.”

12. Subpar

This word is used to describe something that is of lower quality or below the expected standard. It implies that the performance or outcome is not satisfactory or up to par.

  • For instance, “The team’s subpar performance led to their loss in the game.”
  • In a product review, someone might write, “The quality of the item was subpar, with visible defects and poor craftsmanship.”
  • A teacher might comment on a student’s work by saying, “Your essay is subpar, lacking depth and proper analysis.”

13. Unsatisfactorily

This term describes doing something in a way that does not fulfill the desired outcome or meet the necessary standards. It suggests that the result is disappointing or falls short of what was expected.

  • For example, “The repairs were done unsatisfactorily, as the issue resurfaced shortly after.”
  • In a customer complaint, someone might say, “The service was handled unsatisfactorily, with no resolution to my problem.”
  • A disappointed client might express their dissatisfaction by stating, “The project was completed unsatisfactorily, with numerous errors and delays.”

14. Lousily

This term refers to doing something in a way that is of inferior quality or executed with little skill or effort. It implies that the result is unsatisfactory and not up to standard.

  • For instance, “The food was lousily prepared, with undercooked ingredients and bland flavors.”
  • In a review of a movie, someone might write, “The film was lousily directed, with awkward pacing and weak storytelling.”
  • A disappointed customer might complain, “The customer service was lousily handled, with rude and unhelpful staff.”

15. Shoddily

This term describes doing something in a way that lacks attention to detail, resulting in a final product that is of low quality or poorly made. It suggests that the workmanship or execution is careless or haphazard.

  • For example, “The furniture was shoddily constructed, with loose joints and uneven surfaces.”
  • In a discussion about a botched repair job, someone might say, “The work was done shoddily, causing further damage to the item.”
  • A reviewer might criticize a product by stating, “The packaging was shoddily designed, with flimsy materials and inadequate protection.”

16. Faultily

This word refers to doing something in a messy or sloppy manner, often resulting in errors or mistakes.

  • For example, “He assembled the furniture faultily, and it fell apart within a week.”
  • In a discussion about craftsmanship, one might say, “A faultily made product will not stand the test of time.”
  • Someone might describe a poorly written essay as “full of faultily constructed arguments.”
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17. Imperfectly

This word describes doing something with flaws or imperfections, not meeting a desired standard or expectation.

  • For instance, “She cooked the steak imperfectly, and it came out overcooked.”
  • In a conversation about relationships, one might say, “No one is perfect, and we all love imperfectly.”
  • A person might describe their drawing as “imperfectly sketched,“imperfectly sketched, but full of character.”

18. Unskillfully

This word refers to doing something in a clumsy or awkward manner, lacking skill or coordination.

  • For example, “He unskillfully attempted to juggle and dropped all the balls.”
  • In a discussion about sports, one might say, “Even the best athletes start unskillfully and improve through practice.”
  • Someone might describe a poorly executed dance move as “unskillfully performed.”

19. Unsuccessfully

This word describes doing something without achieving the desired outcome or goal.

  • For instance, “He unsuccessfully tried to fix the leaky faucet and ended up flooding the bathroom.”
  • In a conversation about job interviews, one might say, “I interviewed unsuccessfully for several positions before landing this job.”
  • A person might describe their attempts to learn a new language as “unsuccessfully progressing.”

20. Inexpertly

This word refers to doing something in an amateur or unskilled manner, lacking expertise or proficiency.

  • For example, “She inexpertly painted the walls and left streaks everywhere.”
  • In a discussion about photography, one might say, “Inexpertly composed photos can still capture authentic moments.”
  • Someone might describe a poorly baked cake as “inexpertly made,“inexpertly made, but still edible.”

21. Botched

This term refers to something that has been done or executed poorly, resulting in a failed or unsatisfactory outcome. “Botched” is often used to describe a situation or action that was done badly or in a clumsy manner.

  • For example, a person might say, “The surgery was botched, and now I have complications.”
  • In a discussion about DIY projects, someone might comment, “I attempted to fix my sink, but I totally botched it.”
  • A movie critic might write, “The director’s vision was botched, resulting in a disappointing film.”

22. Crudely

This term describes something that has been done in a rough or unrefined manner, lacking finesse or sophistication. “Crudely” is often used to describe an action or work that is done badly or without attention to detail.

  • For instance, a person might say, “He painted the portrait crudely, with no regard for proportions.”
  • In a discussion about craftsmanship, someone might comment, “The furniture was crudely made, with visible flaws in the construction.”
  • A reviewer might write, “The dialogue was crudely written, lacking nuance or subtlety.”