pretty badly

USAGE SUMMARY

"pretty badly" is a correct and common phrase that can be used in written English.
It is often used to describe someone or something that is not doing well or is in a bad state. Example: She drove her car pretty badly after she had one too many drinks.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

You're pretty badly hurt.

Stanford University

"We messed up pretty badly".

The New York Times

Pretty badly is the answer.

The Guardian

He blew two debates pretty badly".

The New York Times

It all turned out pretty badly.

The New Yorker

"Consumer electronics got beat up pretty badly.

The New York Times

My guess would be pretty badly".

The Guardian - Sport

"He got beaten up pretty badly last night".

Independent

Your friend behaved pretty badly herself, ignoring your messages.

The New York Times

"That fellow is pretty badly smashed up," he thought.

The Guardian - Books

I'm paraphrasing I Love Dick there, and pretty badly.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "pretty badly" to soften criticism or express mild disappointment. It's less harsh than "very badly" or "terribly".

Common error

Avoid using "pretty badly" in highly formal writing or professional reports. Opt for more precise and professional synonyms like "severely" or "significantly".

Linguistic Context

The adverbial phrase "pretty badly" modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb, indicating the degree or extent to which an action is performed or a condition exists. Ludwig AI confirms its widespread use across diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

72%

Academia

12%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Science

4%

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "pretty badly" is a common adverbial phrase used to express that something has been done poorly or has turned out unfavorably. Ludwig AI analysis indicates that it is grammatically correct and frequently used across a range of sources, particularly in News & Media. While versatile, it's important to consider the context and opt for more formal alternatives such as "severely" or "significantly" in professional or academic settings. Its milder tone makes it suitable for softening criticism, distinguishing it from harsher expressions like "very badly" or "terribly".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

really badly

Emphasizes intensity, similar to "pretty badly" but potentially conveying a stronger degree of severity.

very badly

Another way to intensify the adverb "badly", indicating a high degree of negativity or poor performance.

quite badly

Expresses a considerable degree of negativity or severity, similar to "pretty badly".

seriously

Shifts from an adverbial phrase to a single adverb, but conveys a comparable level of severity.

terribly

Implies a significant degree of negativity or poor quality.

severely

Suggests a great extent or intensity of something negative.

poorly

A more general term for "badly", but can still fit in contexts where something is not done well.

awfully

Informal, but communicates a similar degree of negativity or poor quality.

to a great extent

More formal and verbose, focusing on the degree of impact rather than a qualitative assessment.

in a terrible way

Emphasizes the manner in which something was done, highlighting its negative aspects.

FAQs

What does "pretty badly" mean?

The phrase "pretty badly" means to a considerable extent or degree, but not to the highest degree. It indicates something is not good, but could be worse.

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

You can use "pretty badly" to describe how someone performed or how something turned out. For example, "He played "pretty badly" in the game", or "The experiment failed "pretty badly"".

What can I say instead of "pretty badly"?

You can use alternatives like "really badly", "very badly", or "quite badly" depending on the context.

Is "pretty badly" formal or informal?

"Pretty badly" is considered relatively informal. In more formal contexts, it's better to use alternatives such as "severely" or "significantly".