poorly able to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "poorly able to" is not standard in written English and may sound awkward or unclear.
It could be used in contexts where you want to express a lack of capability or competence, but it is better to use more conventional phrasing. Example: "He is poorly able to manage his time effectively, which affects his productivity."

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

Raccoons are thought to be color blind or at least poorly able to distinguish color, though their eyes are well-adapted for sensing green light.

Wikipedia

He has suggested that populism could actually be a sign of health as the structures of the traditional parties make them poorly able to "listen to the people" in the same manner that the Progress Party may.

Wikipedia

Although current highly pathogenic H5N1 strains do not meet all the criteria for a pandemic virus [3] since they appear poorly able to spread from person-to-person, a probable case of human-to-human transmission has been recorded [4].

Plosone

Such result was surprising in the case of the SE mutant, because mammalian cells expressing a mutant S172D or S172E β tubulin were only poorly able to incorporate this mutant tubulin in their MTs [21].

Plosone

With AK2 knockdown, human GFP+CD34+ progenitors were poorly able to proliferate and survive during T-cell differentiation.

Cell Death and Disease

These findings indicated that inhibitory effects of Orn and Arg were overcome by Gln, but oat mutants were not or only poorly able to utilise Arg or Orn as nitrogen sources.

BMC Plant Biology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

It is thought that individuals harbouring virus isolates that are attenuated or replicate poorly are able to control virus replication and delay disease progression compared with individuals infected with rapidly replicating virus isolates.

Plosone

Indeed, it has been already shown with human respiratory epithelial cells that a mutant of flagellin that activates TLR5 poorly, was able to reduce IL-8 synthesis triggered by wild-type flagellin [ 26].

BMC Pulmonary Medicine

The fecundity of T. chilonis varied significantly among the seven parental populations with a magnitude of 3. The Chinese populations were indeed the most successful (average fecundity of about 65 parasitized hosts), while the Japanese population performed poorly, being able to parasitize an average of only 20 hosts in the same conditions (Fig. 2).

Evolutionary Applications

And "You really have no arse to speak of at all, do you?" Meanwhile, I look forward to being no longer poorly and therefore able to avoid the whole novel-writing issue in a more traditional manner - by dusting, making soup, staring, pacing, repainting the stairwell, dozing, crying, fainting..

The Guardian - Books

Three items did not follow this tendency (Drinking poorly or not able to drink; Drinking eagerly or thirsty).

Human Resources for Health

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

While "poorly able to" is understandable, using stronger and more common alternatives like "struggling to" or "having difficulty with" often improves clarity and readability.

Common error

Avoid using "poorly able to" excessively in your writing. Over-reliance on this phrase can make your text sound repetitive and less polished. Vary your language by incorporating synonyms such as "struggling with" or "finding it difficult to" for greater impact and clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "poorly able to" functions as an adjective phrase modifying a verb, indicating a limited or inadequate capacity to perform an action. Ludwig AI considers the phrase acceptable, but suggests that stronger alternatives often improve clarity. The examples demonstrate its use in describing a deficiency in ability.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

31%

Wiki

19%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "poorly able to" is an acceptable phrase used to indicate a deficiency or lack of capacity to perform a task. While grammatically sound, Ludwig AI suggests that stronger alternatives like "struggling to" or "having difficulty with" can provide greater clarity and impact. The phrase is most commonly found in scientific and news contexts. Although understandable, varying your language and using more common synonyms can enhance your writing. Ludwig's examples confirm its use across various contexts, although it is not the most frequent choice. Therefore, while "poorly able to" is valid, consider more impactful alternatives for improved readability.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

finding it difficult to

Indicates that the subject is experiencing difficulty in performing an action.

hardly capable of

Emphasizes a severe limitation in ability, making the task nearly impossible.

struggling to

Describes the act of attempting something despite significant difficulty.

weakly capable of

Indicates a slight deficiency in ability, suggesting some capacity but not strong.

having trouble with

Highlights ongoing problems or obstacles in accomplishing a task.

barely managing to

Indicates a minimal level of success, often with considerable effort.

ill-equipped to

Focuses on the lack of necessary resources or preparation for a task.

not very skilled at

Focuses on a lack of proficiency in a specific skill.

deficient in

Highlights a specific lacking quality or skill that hinders performance.

inadequately prepared to

Stresses the lack of sufficient preparation or readiness.

FAQs

What does "poorly able to" mean?

The phrase "poorly able to" means having a limited or inadequate capacity to do something. It suggests a lack of skill or resources, resulting in difficulty performing a specific task.

Are there better alternatives to "poorly able to"?

Yes, you can use alternatives such as "struggling to", "having difficulty with", or "ill-equipped to" to convey a similar meaning with greater clarity and impact.

How can I use "poorly able to" in a sentence?

You can use "poorly able to" to describe someone's limited capacity. For example, "The old engine was poorly able to handle the steep incline".

Is "poorly able to" grammatically incorrect?

While not strictly incorrect, "poorly able to" is considered somewhat awkward. Using alternatives such as "hardly capable of" or "weakly capable of" may be more effective.