When something "takes badly," it means that it is not handled or received well. There are several synonyms for this phrase that can be used interchangeably, depending on the context. For instance, instead of saying something "takes badly," you could say it is "ill-received," "poorly accepted," "badly received," or "unfavorably perceived." Similarly, you could use phrases like "meets with disfavor," "elicits negative feedback," or "provokes a negative reaction" to convey the same idea. Regardless of which synonym you choose, the intended meaning is to indicate that something has been unsatisfactorily received or poorly dealt with.