Word Choice – Difference Between “Badly” and “Poorly”

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I was saying to an American friend, "I pronounce still bad," which she said is a mistake, saying it should be poorly.

Well, I get that part, but when I asked if I can say badly, she said I shouldn't. I asked an Englishman and he said it's perfectly fine. So is it a difference between American English and British English, or am I just not getting it?

Best Answer

The NOAD reports that the first meaning of poorly is "in a way or at a level that is considered inadequate," while the first meaning of badly is "in an unsatisfactory, inadequate, or unsuccessful way."

The NOAD has also a note about the usage of bad.

Confusion in the use of bad versus badly usually has to do with verbs called copulas, such as feel or seem. Thus, standard usage calls for I feel bad, not I feel badly. As a precise speaker or writer would explain, I feel badly means "I do not have a good sense of touch."

There is a slight difference between poorly, and badly: Poorly should be used when something is considered inadequate, while badly should be used when something is inadequate.

I work in a badly managed company.
He spelt a few poorly articulated words.

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