Word
beastly
Phoneticsbeast·ly, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈbistˌɫi/
UK/bˈiːstli/
Definition
adj. extremely bad, unpleasant, or annoying. You use this to describe something that is very difficult to deal with, like a long journey or a cold day.
adj. extremely unpleasant, disagreeable, or difficult. Often used to describe weather, travel, or general circumstances that are particularly burdensome.
Examples
“The journey was beastly because of the heavy rain.”
“I had a beastly morning at the office, dealing with a broken printer and a missed train.”
“The hikers found the ascent beastly, as the thin mountain air and steep incline made every step feel like a monumental effort.”
Examples
simple
“The journey was beastly because of the heavy rain.”
contextual
“I had a beastly morning at the office, dealing with a broken printer and a missed train.”
complex
“The hikers found the ascent beastly, as the thin mountain air and steep incline made every step feel like a monumental effort.”
Etymology
From Middle English beestly, bestely, beastelich, equivalent to beast + -ly. Compare West Frisian bistachtich (“beastly”), Dutch beestachtig (“beastly”), German biestig (“beastly”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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