Cool MateIt was awful vs Terrible
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
It was awful
Top 2,000 (common)
Terrible
Top 1,000 (very common)A1adjective
Most common: Terrible
| It was awful | Terrible | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //ˈɔː.fəl//🇺🇸 //ˈɔː.fəl// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈterəbl/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈterəbl/"]/ |
| Meaning | It was very bad or unpleasant. | Very bad or awful. |
| Example | The food at the restaurant was awful. | The weather was terrible during our vacation. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | - | A1 |
| Part of speech | adjective | |
| Collocations | awful experience, awful mistake, awful weather, awful sound, awful situation | be, feel, look, really, truly, absolutely, for, be, feel, look, really, truly, absolutely, for, be, feel, look, really, truly, absolutely, for, be, feel, look, really, truly, absolutely, for |
| Antonyms | - | wonderful, excellent, great |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'awesome' - sounds similar but means the opposite., Using it in a positive context, e.g. 'It was awful day!' instead of 'It was an awful day!' | 'Terrible' is often confused with 'terrifying'; they mean different things., Some learners mistakenly use 'terrible' to describe good things., Often used in hyperbolic contexts, like 'That movie was terrible!' |
| Usage notes | Commonly used to describe an unpleasant experience. Suitable in informal conversations and can also be used in written commentary. | Use 'terrible' when describing something that causes strong negative feelings, like bad events or poor quality. Avoid in formal writing; consider alternatives like 'dreadful' or 'atrocious.' |
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Frequently asked questions: It was awful vs Terrible
What's the difference between It was awful and Terrible?
It was awful: It was very bad or unpleasant. Terrible: Very bad or awful.
Which is more common: It was awful and Terrible?
Terrible is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
It was awful: The food at the restaurant was awful. Terrible: The weather was terrible during our vacation.
Can I use It was awful and Terrible interchangeably?
Not always. It was awful and Terrible are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.