terribly
TEHR-ih-blee
Terribly (adv) means Very badly or poorly. Example: “He sang terribly at the talent show, and the crowd winced.”
adv
1
Very badly or poorly.
"He sang terribly at the talent show, and the crowd winced."
"The old car runs terribly in cold weather."
"“A joyride gone terribly wrong,” Pierce County Sheriff Paul Pastor said during a news conference in Steilacoom, which is about 3 miles from the island."
— Paige Cornwell, Airplane taken from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has crashed (2018)
"She took part in the karaoke, but sang terribly."
"The team played terribly in the second half."
2
Extremely; used to intensify an adjective.
"The soup was terribly salty, so I could barely finish it."
"We are terribly grateful for everything you did for us."
"I'm terribly sorry for the delay."
How to use terribly
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishCan mean "very badly" or simply "very," depending on context.
When to use it
The intensifying use ("terribly sorry," "terribly kind") is especially common in British English and can sound quite formal or old-fashioned.
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more terribly
- Superlative
- most terribly
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He sang _____ at the talent show, and the crowd winced.
Etymology
From terrible + the adverb-forming suffix -ly.
Synonyms
View more →
extremely
awfully
dreadfully
badly
horribly
frightfully
awful
rottenly
abominably
abysmally
atrociously
Related words
Rhymes for terribly
See all rhymes for terribly →Frequently asked questions
What does “terribly” mean?
The word “terribly” means very badly or poorly. In plain terms, can mean "very badly" or simply "very," depending on context.
How do you pronounce “terribly”?
“Terribly” is pronounced TEHR-ih-blee (/ˈtɛɹ.ɪ.bli/ in IPA).
How do you use “terribly” in a sentence?
Here is “terribly” used in a sentence: “The team played terribly in the second half.”
What part of speech is “terribly”?
“Terribly” is an adverb.
Is “terribly” a common word?
“Terribly” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “terribly” have?
“Terribly” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: very badly or poorly.
What is the difference between "terribly" and "terrible"?
"Terribly" is an adverb, while "terrible" is an adjective. Use "terrible" to describe a noun (a terrible mistake) and "terribly" to modify a verb, adjective, or another adverb (she sang terribly; terribly cold).
Does "terribly" always mean something bad?
No. "Terribly" has two distinct uses: it can mean "very badly" (he played terribly), but it also works simply as an intensifier meaning "extremely" (I'm terribly sorry; terribly kind). In the intensifier sense it carries no negative meaning at all.
What is the difference between "terribly" and "very"?
Both can strengthen an adjective, but "terribly" is more emphatic and emotional than "very" (terribly sorry feels stronger than very sorry). Unlike "very," "terribly" can also mean "badly," as in "the team performed terribly."
Is "terribly" formal or informal?
Used as an intensifier, "terribly" (as in terribly grateful or terribly sorry) sounds polite and slightly formal, and is especially common in British English. In everyday speech, "really" or "so" often replace it.
