Word
terribly
Phoneticster·ri·bly, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈtɛɹəbɫi/
UK/tˈɛɹəbli/
Adverb of degree
Definitions
01very badly
B1 · Intermediate
adv. in a very bad or poor way.
adv. in a manner that is very poor, unpleasant, or unsuccessful.
“The team played terribly and lost the game by four goals.”
“The project was terribly managed from the start, leading to significant budget overruns and a complete loss of stakeholder confidence.”
02extremely
B2 · Upper Intermediate Formal · British English
adv. used to mean 'very' or 'extremely', often to show you feel strongly about something.
adv. used as an intensifier to mean 'extremely' or 'to a great extent'.
Español:rematadamente
“I am terribly sorry for being late to the meeting.”
“She felt terribly lonely in the large house after her children moved away to start their own lives in the city.”
03causing terror
C2 · Proficiency Archaic · Literary
adv. in a way that causes great fear or wonder.
adv. in a manner that inspires terror, awe, or great dread.
“The thunder roared terribly across the dark valley.”
“The ancient beast loomed terribly over the knights, its eyes glowing with a prehistoric hunger that froze them in place.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “terribly” in context.
Verb
01. missed her terribly
“He missed her terribly while he was working abroad for six months.”
verb + adv
02. terribly disappointed by the news
“The fans were terribly disappointed by the news of the concert cancellation.”
adv + adj + prep + noun
Adjective
03. terribly important
“It is terribly important that you arrive at the interview on time.”
adv + adj
04. terribly lonely
“She felt terribly lonely after her best friend moved to another country.”
adv + adj
05. terribly sorry
“I am terribly sorry for the delay in responding to your email.”
adv + adj
06. terribly wrong
“Something went terribly wrong with the software update last night.”
adv + adj
Real-World Examples
“Families searched for missing loved ones long after hope had become terribly thin.” “That is not terribly much for such a big animal, which could weigh roughly 67 tons .” Etymology
Inherited from Middle English terribli. By surface analysis, terrible + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- 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.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL 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: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/terribly
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0