How do you use "Poorly" in a sentence?

I'm feeling poorly. She's been poorly all week. The dog's a bit poorly.

Poorly

Q: What does "Poorly" mean?

Unwell, sick (British). 'Feeling poorly' means feeling unwell. 'She's poorly' means she's sick. British usage is more common than American. Gentle word for being ill.

Slang Term British ★★★★★ Very Common Casual

Meaning: Unwell, sick (British).

身体不舒服；生病。

Enfermo; indispuesto.

体調が悪い、具合が悪い。

몸이 안 좋은, 아픈 (영국식 표현).

'Feeling poorly' means feeling unwell. 'She's poorly' means she's sick. British usage is more common than American. Gentle word for being ill.

「feeling poorly」意思是身体不舒服——非常英式的轻描淡写说法。「She's poorly」是温柔而充满同情的表达。常用于说孩子或被父母使用。比「ill」或「sick」听起来更柔和。

«Feeling poorly» significa sentirse mal, es un eufemismo británico muy suave para la enfermedad. «She's poorly» es tierno y compasivo. Se usa a menudo con niños o por los padres. Menos clínico que «ill» o «sick».

「feeling poorly」は体調が悪いという意味——病気のイギリス的な控えめ表現。「She's poorly」はやさしく思いやりのある言い方。子供に対して、または親がよく使う。「ill」や「sick」より堅苦しくない。

'feeling poorly'는 몸이 좋지 않다는 뜻이다. 'She's poorly'는 그녀가 아프다는 의미이다. 미국보다 영국에서 더 흔하게 쓰인다. 아프다는 것을 부드럽게 표현하는 말이다.

Examples

I'm feeling poorly.
小家伙这一整周都不舒服
El pequeño lleva toda la semana malito
「小さい子が一週間ずっと具合が悪い」
오늘 좀 몸이 안 좋아.
She's been poorly all week.
我今天有点不舒服
Hoy no me encuentro muy bien
「今日はちょっと具合が悪い」
그녀가 일주일 내내 아팠어.
The dog's a bit poorly.
打电话请病假
Llamar al trabajo para decir que estás enfermo
「病欠の電話をする」
강아지가 좀 아픈 것 같아.

Pronunciation

/ˈpʊəli/

Usage Guide

Context: illness, unwell, British

Tone: gentle, sympathetic

✓ Do Say

Poorly
不太舒服
encontrarse mal
体調が悪い
몸이 안 좋다
Feeling poorly
有点不舒服
un poco pachucho
ちょっと具合が悪い
좀 아프다
A bit poorly
生病的孩子
niño malito
具合の悪い子
많이 아프다

✗ Don't Say

More British than American
在苏格兰和伦敦不太常用
Menos habitual en Escocia y Londres
スコットランドやロンドンではあまり使われない
미국보다 영국에서 더 많이 쓰는 표현

Common Mistakes

British: unwell. American: poorly = badly.

Origin & History

From 'poor' in the sense of unfortunate condition. 'Poorly' as meaning unwell developed in British English and remains more common in British than American usage.

Etymology: From poor (unfortunate condition)

First recorded: British, traditional

Cultural Context

Era: Traditional

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Pop culture: British everyday speech

Regional notes: British.

Variations

PoorlyFeeling poorly