awfully small

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "awfully small" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is very small, often with an emphasis on the degree of smallness. Example: "The apartment was awfully small, barely fitting a bed and a desk."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

23 human-written examples

It looks awfully small.

The Guardian - Travel

Six-by-sixteen is awfully small by gallery standards.

The New York Times

"Awfully small for their age," he said shaking his head".

The New Yorker

"Well, let me just say those are really big dots requiring an awfully small line".

The New York Times

CHICAGO — First glimpsed writhing buglike beneath satin sheets, she looks awfully small to be a towering legend of the screen.

The New York Times

Hopefully, that will be enough, but the proposed $33 billion looks awfully small given the 15 million unemployed.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

36 human-written examples

Besides, David was awfully tall, and the small boost in altitude was equalizing.

The New Yorker

Or drawings emerge from finished paintings: Turner's "Sun Rising Through Vapour," or Freud's own "Large Interior WII (After Watteau)." The results can be awfully poignant, as when a small painting of Freud's depressive mother from 1972 is paired with a drawing of her from 1983.

The New York Times - Arts

Lewis calls the speculation on an internal coup d'etat "an awfully strong extrapolation of very small things," including reports of a travel ban on Pyongyang residents and the presence of bodyguards with Hwang during his Incheon visit.

Los Angeles Times

Susannah Schouweiler of Knight Arts wrote, "at two hours and 45 minutes, plus a 20-minute intermission, [Grimm] run time is an awfully long haul for the smallest circus-goers".

Wikipedia

One million dollars might sound like an awfully big prize for such a small improvement.

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "awfully small" to emphasize the unexpected or surprisingly diminutive size of something. It adds a layer of subjective assessment, implying the size is noteworthy.

Common error

Avoid using "awfully small" in formal academic or business writing where a more neutral or precise term like "extremely small" or "significantly smaller" would be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "awfully small" functions as an intensifier (awfully) modifying an adjective (small). It describes the degree to which something is small, often implying a subjective assessment or surprise at its diminutive size. Ludwig AI provides examples where it is used to describe physical spaces, objects, and even abstract concepts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "awfully small" is a common and grammatically correct phrase used to describe something as significantly smaller than expected. Ludwig AI confirms its acceptability and provides numerous examples from reputable sources, primarily in News & Media. While its neutral tone makes it generally suitable, consider more formal alternatives like "extremely small" in academic or business contexts. The phrase serves to emphasize smallness and can convey subjective feelings like surprise or disappointment. It’s a versatile expression that, according to Ludwig, is well-established in modern English usage.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

extremely diminutive

Replaces "awfully" with "extremely" and "small" with "diminutive", heightening the sense of smallness.

remarkably tiny

Substitutes "awfully" with "remarkably" and "small" with "tiny", emphasizing the unexpected nature of the size.

exceptionally little

Replaces "awfully" with "exceptionally" and "small" with "little", conveying a sense of rarity or infrequency.

surprisingly compact

Changes "awfully" to "surprisingly" and "small" to "compact", indicating an unexpected reduction in size.

particularly minute

Swaps "awfully" for "particularly" and "small" for "minute", highlighting extreme precision in smallness.

significantly undersized

Replaces "awfully" with "significantly" and uses "undersized" to stress the deviation from normal size.

considerably reduced

Alters "awfully" to "considerably" and "small" to "reduced", implying a reduction process to a small state.

noticeably petite

Substitutes "awfully" with "noticeably" and "small" with "petite", giving a gentle tone emphasizing delicacy.

strikingly mini

Changes "awfully" to "strikingly" and "small" to "mini", adding emphasis with a modern informal tone.

unusually short

Replaces "awfully" with "unusually" and "small" with "short", focusing on height rather than overall size.

FAQs

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

You can use "awfully small" to describe something that is surprisingly or notably small. For example, "The room looked "awfully small" compared to what I expected."

What are some alternatives to saying "awfully small"?

Alternatives include "extremely small", "remarkably tiny", or "exceptionally little", depending on the context and desired level of formality.

Is "awfully small" a formal or informal phrase?

"Awfully small" is generally considered to be less formal. In formal writing, consider using alternatives such as "very small" or "extremely small".

What's the difference between "awfully small" and "very small"?

"Awfully small" often implies a degree of surprise or subjective assessment about the smallness, whereas "very small" is a more neutral statement of size.