awfully expensive

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "awfully expensive" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe something that is very high in cost or price, often with a connotation of being excessively so. Example: "The new smartphone is awfully expensive, and I can't justify spending that much money on it."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

35 human-written examples

"It's awfully expensive".

The New York Times

"Medicine is awfully expensive today," she said.

The New York Times

"It seemed an awfully expensive choice," he said.

The New York Times

"That's an awfully expensive test," he said, a grimace appearing on his face.

The New York Times

"It's an awfully expensive study," Dr. Goldstein said in an e-mail message.

The New York Times - Science

For one thing, Mets fans said, devotion to their team had become awfully expensive.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

25 human-written examples

9 p.m. 9) Downstairs, Upstairs TriBeCa has more than its share of multistarred restaurants, but they're booked, expensive and awfully serious.

The New York Times - Travel

Model-training is awfully tedious and time-consuming -- and expensive.

Forbes

"The city gets awfully boring if it's all super-expensive, super-high-quality everything.

The Guardian

An awfully pretentious term thrown around quite casually by flashy Silicon Valley entrepreneurs who don black Armanis and drive expensive limos.

HuffPost

Awfully wrong".

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "awfully expensive", consider the context and audience. It's suitable for informal and neutral contexts, but might be too casual for formal business writing. In formal business contexts, opt for more direct alternatives such as "prohibitively costly" or "excessively priced".

Common error

Avoid using "awfully expensive" in formal reports or presentations. While grammatically correct, it can be perceived as too informal. Choose more precise and professional terms such as "prohibitively costly" or "excessively priced" to maintain a formal tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "awfully expensive" functions primarily as an adjectival phrase modifying a noun. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness. The adverb "awfully" intensifies the adjective "expensive", indicating a high degree of cost.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

72%

Science

14%

Academia

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Wiki

3%

Reference

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "awfully expensive" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase to describe something that is very high in cost. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's generally acceptable, although its informality may make it less suitable for formal contexts. It functions as an adjectival phrase, expressing a judgment about price, and appears most frequently in news and media. While "awfully" intensifies "expensive", consider more precise and formal alternatives like "prohibitively costly" or "excessively priced" for professional writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

prohibitively costly

This alternative uses 'prohibitively' to emphasize that the cost prevents purchase or action.

excessively priced

This alternative highlights the excessiveness of the price, suggesting it's beyond what's reasonable.

exorbitantly priced

This emphasizes that the price is unreasonably high.

ridiculously expensive

This conveys a sense of disbelief or mockery at the high price.

unjustifiably high

Focuses on the lack of justification for the high price.

astronomically priced

Uses 'astronomically' to exaggerate the high cost.

eye-wateringly expensive

A more figurative way to describe something as very expensive.

unreasonably costly

Highlights the lack of reason behind the high cost.

steeply priced

Indicates a high and sharp increase in price.

overpriced significantly

Explicitly states that the price is too high compared to the value.

FAQs

How can I use "awfully expensive" in a sentence?

You can use "awfully expensive" to describe something with a surprisingly or excessively high price. For example, "The repairs were awfully expensive, costing more than the car's worth".

What are some alternatives to "awfully expensive"?

You can use alternatives like "prohibitively costly", "excessively priced", or "exorbitantly priced" to convey a similar meaning with slight differences in emphasis.

Is it appropriate to use "awfully expensive" in formal writing?

While grammatically correct, "awfully expensive" is generally more suitable for informal or neutral contexts. For formal writing, consider more professional alternatives like "prohibitively costly" or "unjustifiably high".

What does "awfully" mean in the phrase "awfully expensive"?

In this context, "awfully" functions as an adverb intensifying the adjective "expensive". It means "very" or "extremely", indicating a significant degree of expensiveness.