badly trying

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "badly trying" is not standard in written English and may be considered awkward or incorrect.
It could be used to describe someone making a poor effort at something, but it is better to use more conventional phrasing. Example: "He was badly trying to fix the car, but it only made things worse."

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

Hundreds if not thousands of kids were hurt, some badly, trying to copy his stunts on bicycles in their backyards.

The New York Times - Books

On Sunday, Weddle missed badly trying to tackle Tatum Bell on his 26-yard touchdown run, and Denver receivers were open all night.

The New York Times - Sports

Earlier Wednesday, another deer made shore in the same location, got stuck between the railings of a metal fence at the waterfront, and injured itself so badly trying to get free that it had to be euthanized.

The New York Times

Microsoft is confronting a similar bottom-up assault from Linux, a free operating system, though one supported by rivals of Microsoft led by I.B.M. OF course, I.B.M., struggled badly trying to make the transition to post-monopoly corporate life, reluctant to abandon its old ways until it nearly collapsed amid huge losses and layoffs in the early 1990's, before it turned around.

The New York Times

First Union stumbled badly trying to integrate two 1998 acquisitions: Philadelphia's CoreStates and The Money Store, a lender to consumers who are high credit risks.

Forbes

In 1993 Clinton administration stumbled badly trying to allow lesbians and gays to serve openly in uniform.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

Behaving badly Try the Via Bellini if you want some after-hours nightlife.

The Guardian - Travel

@_richardmadden if you really want attention that badly, try focusing on your own work and not other people's.

Huffington Post

In doing so, he performed a trick I've (badly) tried to use by including a kind of nugget, an anecdote or an aphorism, in every answer.

Los Angeles Times

If an audition or performance goes badly, try to pinpoint what went wrong and straighten it out for the next time.

WikiHow

For a decade, the Pirates whiffed badly in trying to draft his replacement.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "badly trying", consider if a more precise verb or adverb could better convey the intended meaning. For example, "struggling" or "unsuccessfully" might be more appropriate.

Common error

Avoid relying too heavily on the phrase "badly trying", as it can make your writing sound repetitive or unpolished. Vary your word choice by using alternatives such as "struggling to" or "unsuccessfully attempting" for a more sophisticated tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "badly trying" functions as an adverb-participle phrase, modifying a verb to describe the manner in which an action is performed. It indicates that the action is attempted with a low degree of skill or success. Ludwig suggests that this phrase might sound awkward.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Wiki

17%

Science

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "badly trying" is an adverb-participle phrase indicating a poor attempt at something. While grammatically acceptable, it can sound awkward and might be better replaced by alternatives such as "struggling to" or "failing to". As Ludwig AI points out, the phrase, according to Ludwig's analysis, may benefit from a more polished alternative. It appears most frequently in News & Media contexts. Examples from Ludwig underscore its usage in describing unsuccessful or clumsy attempts. While understandable, more precise wording is recommended to improve clarity and style.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unsuccessfully trying

Directly indicates a lack of success in the attempt.

struggling to

Focuses on the difficulty and effort involved in the attempt.

failing to

Emphasizes the lack of success in the attempt.

poorly attempting

Similar to 'making a poor attempt', but more concise.

making a poor attempt

Highlights the low quality of the effort.

ineptly attempting

Stresses the lack of skill in the trying.

awkwardly trying

Focuses on the clumsy nature of the attempt.

botching the attempt

Suggests a complete failure or ruining of the attempt.

bungling the effort

Implies clumsiness and a lack of competence in the attempt.

ham-fistedly trying

Emphasizes the awkwardness and lack of finesse in the attempt.

FAQs

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

You can use "badly trying" to describe someone who is making a poor effort at something, such as "He was "badly trying" to fix the car, but it only made things worse."

What can I say instead of "badly trying"?

You can use alternatives like "struggling to", "failing to", or "unsuccessfully trying" depending on the context.

Is "badly trying" grammatically correct?

While understandable, "badly trying" can sound awkward. Consider using more common and grammatically smooth alternatives like "struggling to" or "failing to" for better clarity.

What's the difference between "badly trying" and "trying hard"?

"Badly trying" implies a lack of skill or success in the attempt, while "trying hard" simply indicates effort, regardless of the outcome. One focuses on the quality of the attempt, and the other emphasizes the effort itself.