dreadfully
3 synonyms and 0 antonyms for dreadfully, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adv — Very badly or terribly.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English dredfully, dradefullich, dredefullich; equivalent to dreadful + -ly.
Full origin of dreadfully →Frequently asked questions
What does “dreadfully” mean?
The word “dreadfully” means very badly or terribly. In plain terms, either "in a terrible way" or, informally, "extremely" — often used in polite British apologies.
How do you pronounce “dreadfully”?
“Dreadfully” is pronounced DREHD-fuul-ee (/ˈdɹɛd.fʊl.i/ in IPA).
How do you use “dreadfully” in a sentence?
Here is “dreadfully” used in a sentence: “He played dreadfully in the final.”
What part of speech is “dreadfully”?
“Dreadfully” is an adverb.
How many meanings does “dreadfully” have?
“Dreadfully” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: very badly or terribly.