ENGLISH
REFERENCE

terribly

adv.
US //ˈtɛɹəbɫi// UK //tˈɛɹəbli// ter·ri·bly
  1. 1 very badly (adv.)
    B1 Intermediate

    in a very bad or poor way.

    in a manner that is very poor, unpleasant, or unsuccessful.

    Example

    The team played terribly and lost the game by four goals.

    Example

    The project was terribly managed from the start, leading to significant budget overruns and a complete loss of stakeholder confidence.
  2. 2 extremely (adv.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Formal British English

    used to mean 'very' or 'extremely', often to show you feel strongly about something.

    used as an intensifier to mean 'extremely' or 'to a great extent'.

    Example

    I am terribly sorry for being late to the meeting.

    Example

    She felt terribly lonely in the large house after her children moved away to start their own lives in the city.
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  1. 3 causing terror (adv.)
    C2 Proficiency Archaic Literary

    in a way that causes great fear or wonder.

    in a manner that inspires terror, awe, or great dread.

    Example

    The thunder roared terribly across the dark valley.

    Example

    The ancient beast loomed terribly over the knights, its eyes glowing with a prehistoric hunger that froze them in place.
Origin

Inherited from Middle English terribli. By surface analysis, terrible + -ly.

Word family

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