adv
dreadfully
DREHD-fuul-ee
Dreadfully (adv) means Very badly or terribly. Example: “He played dreadfully in the final.”
adv
1
Very badly or terribly.
"He played dreadfully in the final."
2
Used as an intensifier meaning "extremely."
"I'm dreadfully sorry for the mix-up."
How to use dreadfully
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither "in a terrible way" or, informally, "extremely" — often used in polite British apologies.
When to use it
The intensifier sense ("dreadfully sorry") is a distinctly British, somewhat old-fashioned polite usage.
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more dreadfully
- Superlative
- most dreadfully
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He played _____ in the final.
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English dredfully, dradefullich and dredefullich; equivalent to dreadful plus -ly.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for dreadfully
See all rhymes for 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.
