badly needs

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "badly needs" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to express a strong necessity or urgent requirement for something. Example: "The project badly needs additional funding to continue its development."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

BP badly needs new reserves.

The Economist

He badly needs a shave.

The Guardian

The fund badly needs a new compass.

The Economist

That system badly needs a new impetus.

The Economist

Yet the agency badly needs such expertise.

The New York Times

China badly needs political and social reform.

The New York Times

Japan badly needs sources of energy.

The New York Times

Mr. Lee's government badly needs a success.

The New York Times

It badly needs to sell more cars.

The New York Times

"It badly needs work," Mr. Brech said.

The New York Times

The country badly needs to settle down.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "badly needs" to emphasize the urgency or importance of a requirement. This phrase is suitable for situations where the need is not just present, but critical for success or well-being.

Common error

While "badly needs" is widely accepted, avoid overuse in highly formal or academic writing. Consider more sophisticated alternatives like "urgently requires" or "is in dire need of" to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "badly needs" functions as a verb phrase indicating a strong necessity or urgent requirement. Ludwig provides numerous examples demonstrating its use in various contexts to emphasize the critical nature of something being required.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Formal & Business

10%

Science

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "badly needs" is a common and grammatically correct way to express a strong necessity or urgent requirement. As demonstrated by Ludwig, this phrase is widely used in News & Media but it can be used in other contexts. While versatile, it is important to consider the formality of the context and choose alternatives if necessary. Ludwig AI indicates that "badly needs" is a useful phrase for conveying urgency and importance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

desperately requires

This phrase replaces "badly" with "desperately" to amplify the sense of urgency and need.

urgently requires

This alternative uses "urgently" instead of "badly", emphasizing the time-sensitive nature of the need.

is in dire need of

Replaces the verb "needs" with a more descriptive phrase, highlighting the severity of the requirement.

acutely requires

This alternative replaces "badly" with "acutely", suggesting a sharp or intense need.

is critically short of

This phrase highlights a deficiency that requires immediate attention.

absolutely must have

This alternative uses stronger modal verb construction to indicate something necessary and indispensable.

imperatively requires

Emphasizes the commanding nature of the need; it's not just needed, it's demanded.

cannot do without

This phrase expresses the essential nature of something, stating that operation or existence is impossible in absence of it.

has a pressing need for

Highlights the urgency and importance of fulfilling the need.

is essential for

Focuses on something being fundamentally required for a specific purpose.

FAQs

How can I use "badly needs" in a sentence?

Use "badly needs" to express a strong requirement or urgent necessity. For example: "The company "badly needs" new investment to stay competitive."

What are some alternatives to "badly needs"?

You can use alternatives like "urgently requires", "desperately needs", or "is in dire need of" depending on the context.

Is "badly needs" formal or informal?

"Badly needs" is generally considered neutral in tone and can be used in a variety of contexts, but it may be perceived as slightly less formal than alternatives like "urgently requires".

Which is correct, "badly needs" or "badly needing"?

"Badly needs" is the correct form for expressing a present need. "Badly needing" might be used as part of a continuous tense, but it's less common. For example, "The project is badly needing additional resources" is grammatically correct, but sounds awkward.