adv
sorely
SAW-lee
adv
1
Very much; to a severe or serious degree — usually paired with something negative or a strong need.
"The team is sorely lacking in experience."
"He will be sorely missed by everyone who knew him."
How to Use Sorely
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn intensifier meaning "greatly" or "badly," almost always used with a negative feeling — missing, tempted, lacking, needed.
Common pairings
sorely missed
sorely tempted
sorely needed
sorely lacking
Word Forms
more sorely comparative, most sorely superlative
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The team is _____ lacking in experience.
Etymology
From Old English sarlice, built from sore + the adverb suffix -ly.