badly sick

USAGE SUMMARY

"badly sick" is not correct in written English as it is a double negative.
To express the same idea, you can say "very sick". Example: He was very sick, so he had to stay home from school.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

I've never really gotten that badly sick.

Independent

If they are badly sick, stop for a while and lie them down with their eyes shut.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

"No big deal; the problem was that five of the eight crew were seasick and badly sick," Renier said.

The New York Times - Sports

Eriter begins a Comment on violence, poverty & repression in the Philippines by asking how can a healthy person know what it is like to be badly sick.

The New Yorker

A new survey of patients in seven industrialized nations underscores just how badly sick Americans fare compared with patients in other nations.

The New York Times

I was so badly sick with my first pregnancy that I passed out on the floor from hunger and sheer exhaustion from vomiting.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

Also, sleep was badly disturbed.

BMJ Open

"He was really badly off, really sick," Achakarat says.

The Guardian

Two hangars were destroyed, the other three and 16 aircraft badly damaged, workshops, sick bay and officers' mess wrecked and the water supply put out of action.

BBC

This is largely so they can continue to use the doctors they know, but also because they've read so many horror stories about how badly HMOs treat sick older people.

Forbes

See a doctor immediately if you are badly injured or sick.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Opt for alternatives like "very ill" or "seriously sick" to maintain grammatical correctness and clarity in your writing.

Common error

Using "badly sick" creates a double negative, which is grammatically incorrect. Always choose a single adverb or adjective to accurately describe the severity of the illness. Instead of saying someone is "badly sick", say they are "very sick" or "seriously ill".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "badly sick" functions as an adverb-adjective combination intended to modify a state of being, indicating the severity of illness. However, as noted by Ludwig AI, this combination is grammatically questionable due to the potential for double negative interpretation.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "badly sick" is used to describe a severe state of illness, however, Ludwig AI marks it as grammatically incorrect due to the potential double negative created by combining "badly" with "sick". While it appears in some sources like The New York Times and The Guardian, it's generally better to use alternatives such as "very ill" or "seriously sick" for clearer and more grammatically sound communication. Therefore, avoiding "badly sick" in formal writing is recommended to maintain clarity and grammatical correctness. Choose the proper expression to ensure effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

very ill

Replaces "badly" with "very" to create a grammatically correct phrase indicating a high degree of illness.

seriously ill

Substitutes "badly" with "seriously" to emphasize the severity of the illness.

severely sick

Replaces "badly" with "severely" indicating a high degree of sickness.

gravely ill

Uses "gravely" instead of "badly" to suggest a severe or critical state of health.

terribly sick

Uses "terribly" instead of "badly" to suggest a very unpleasant experience due to illness.

critically ill

Emphasizes the critical nature of the sickness, indicating a life-threatening condition.

extremely unwell

Employs "extremely unwell" to express a high degree of sickness in a more formal tone.

desperately sick

Highlights the urgent and severe nature of the illness.

acutely ill

Emphasizes the sudden and severe onset of the illness.

dangerously ill

Suggests that the illness poses a significant threat to the person's life.

FAQs

What's wrong with the phrase "badly sick"?

The phrase "badly sick" is generally considered grammatically incorrect due to the use of a double negative. It's better to use phrases like "very ill" or "seriously sick".

Are there situations where "badly sick" might be acceptable?

While some sources may use "badly sick", it's generally not recommended for formal writing. It might appear in informal speech or certain regional dialects, but "seriously ill" or similar alternatives are preferable in most contexts.

What can I say instead of "badly sick" to emphasize the severity of the illness?

To emphasize the severity, you can use phrases like "gravely ill", "critically ill", or "desperately sick". These options are grammatically sound and effectively convey the seriousness of the condition.

How does the meaning of "badly sick" compare to "seriously ill"?

While the intended meaning is similar, "seriously ill" is grammatically correct and widely accepted. "Badly sick" is considered non-standard and less precise, so it's best to avoid it in formal communication.