B2adverb2K

Terribly

UK /["/ˈterəbli/"]/US /["/ˈterəbli/"]/

Definition

very

In simple words: Very badly or extremely.

Examples

  • I'm terribly sorry—did I hurt you?
  • It's terribly important for parents to be consistent.
  • I’m not terribly interested in politics.
  • I miss him terribly.
  • They suffered terribly when their son was killed.
  • The experiment went terribly wrong.
  • Would you mind terribly if I didn’t come today?

Usage notes

Use 'terribly' to emphasize a negative situation or quality. It's common in both spoken and written English but avoid in formal contexts. For example, 'I felt terribly tired.'

Grammar pattern

standalone adverb

Memory hint

Think of 'terrible' – if something is terribly wrong, it's very bad!

Collocations

  • terribly wrong
  • terribly sorry
  • terribly afraid
  • terribly upset

Synonyms

  • awfully
  • extremely
  • very
  • really
  • horribly

Antonyms

  • wonderfully
  • fantastically
  • nicely

Common mistakes

  • Using 'terribly' with positive contexts (e.g., 'terribly good' instead of 'really good').
  • Confusing 'terribly' with 'terrific' which has the opposite meaning.
  • Omitting it when making a strong negative statement.