bad vs badly :

bad or badly

In informal speech “bad” is sometimes used as an adverb: “the toilet was leaking pretty bad” or “my arm hurt so bad I thought it was broken.” In formal writing, “badly” is preferred in both contexts.

Facebook Twitter Google +


  Do you make these 10 mistakes?
Definitions
  bad
  • n  that which is below standard or expectations as of ethics or decency
    take the bad with the good
  • a  having undesirable or negative qualities
    a bad report card
    his sloppy appearance made a bad impression
    a bad little boy
    clothes in bad shape
    a bad cut
    bad luck
    the news was very bad
    the reviews were bad
    the pay is bad
    it was a bad light for reading
    the movie was a bad choice
  • s  very intense
    a bad headache
    had a big (or bad) shock
    a bad earthquake
    a bad storm
  • s  feeling physical discomfort or pain (`tough' is occasionally used colloquially for `bad')
    my throat feels bad
    she felt bad all over
  • s  (of foodstuffs) not in an edible or usable condition
    bad meat
  • a  feeling or expressing regret or sorrow or a sense of loss over something done or undone
    he felt bad about breaking the vase
  • s  not capable of being collected
    a bad (or uncollectible) debt
  • s  below average in quality or performance
    a bad chess player
    a bad recital
  • s  nonstandard
    so-called bad grammar
  • s  not financially safe or secure
    a bad investment
  • s  physically unsound or diseased
    has a bad back
    a bad heart
    bad teeth
  • s  capable of harming
    bad air
    smoking is bad for you
  • s  characterized by wickedness or immorality
    led a very bad life
  • s  reproduced fraudulently
    like a bad penny...
  • s  not working properly
    a bad telephone connection
  • r  with great intensity (`bad' is a nonstandard variant for `badly')
    the injury hurt badly
    the buildings were badly shaken
    it hurts bad
    we need water bad
  • r  very much; strongly
    I wanted it badly enough to work hard for it
    the cables had sagged badly
    they were badly in need of help
    he wants a bicycle so bad he can taste it
  badly
  • r  to a severe or serious degree
    fingers so badly frozen they had to be amputated
    badly injured
  • r  (`ill' is often used as a combining form) in a poor or improper or unsatisfactory manner; not well
    the car runs badly
    he performed badly on the exam
  • r  evilly or wickedly
    treated his parents badly
    to steal is to act badly
  • r  in a disobedient or naughty way
    he behaved badly in school
  • r  with great intensity (`bad' is a nonstandard variant for `badly')
    the injury hurt badly
    the buildings were badly shaken
  • r  very much; strongly
    I wanted it badly enough to work hard for it
    the cables had sagged badly
    they were badly in need of help
  • r  without skill or in a displeasing manner
    she writes badly
    I think he paints very badly
  • r  in a disadvantageous way; to someone's disadvantage
    the venture turned out badly for the investors
  • r  unfavorably or with disapproval
    thought badly of him for his lack of concern
  • r  with unusual distress or resentment or regret or emotional display
    they took their defeat badly
    took her father's death badly
    conducted himself very badly at the time of the earthquake
News & Articles
  bad
  • Bad Axe City Council is scheduled to vote on a proposed 2013-14 budget
    BAD AXE — The Bad Axe City Council is scheduled to vote on a proposed 2013-14 budget at its meeting next week.
    June 13, 2013 - Huron Daily Tribune
  • 'Breaking Bad': Creator Vince Gilligan spills on the final eight episodes
    When "Breaking Bad" left off last summer, tenacious DEA agent Hank Schrader (Dean Norris) was hot on the trail ? and, er, toilet ? of meth maker Walter White (Bryan Cranston). And when the revered drama returns with the second half of season 5 (beginning Aug. 11 on AMC), what should we brace for? Among other things, maybe a bit of self-reflection from the cancer-stricken chemistry teacher who ...
    June 13, 2013 - CNN
  • 'Breaking Bad' creator on last episodes
    When "Breaking Bad" left off last summer, tenacious DEA agent Hank Schrader (Dean Norris) was hot on the trail — and, er, toilet — of meth maker Walter White (Bryan Cranston). And when the revered drama returns with the second half of season 5 (beginning Aug. 11 on AMC), what should we brace for? Among other things, maybe a bit of self-reflection from the cancer-stricken chemistry teacher who ...
    June 13, 2013 - CNN
  badly
  • Global Markets Take Hit from China Data, Fed Plan
    Asian markets buckled badly on Thursday after the Federal Reserve heralded an eventual end to free money and China turned the screw on credit even as factory activity in the world's second largest economy hit a nine-month low.
    June 20, 2013 - FOX Business
  • Teaching teachers — badly
    Teaching teachers — badly Times Union Copyright 2013 Times Union. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 7:13 am, Wednesday, June 19, 2013 The nation's teacher preparation programs are failing miserably and future educators leave college unprepared for an actual classroom, according to a report released Tuesday. Too many schools ...
    June 19, 2013 - Albany Times Union
  • So how badly is Greg Whittington injured? (UPDATED)
    How badly is Greg Whittington injured? That’s the biggest question facing Georgetown heading into the summer, because at this point, we know that Whittington is dealing with some kind of a knee injury. Late Monday night, Casual Hoya reported that Whittington was hobbling around on crutches. Gary Parrish of CBSSports.com and Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com…
    June 18, 2013 - NBC Sports: Beyond the Arc