downright awful

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "downright awful" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is extremely bad or unpleasant. Example: "The movie was downright awful; I couldn't sit through the entire thing."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

41 human-written examples

It was downright awful.

The New York Times

She added that often, such women are seen as "not just unlikable, but downright awful".

The Guardian - Opinion

Though against Tampa Bay in the ALDS he was downright awful.

The Guardian - Sport

By December, Gregory said, a bad situation had become downright awful.

The New York Times

The refereeing was often shady, the coaching at best mediocre and the level of play sometimes downright awful.

The New York Times - Magazine

Dalton was downright awful at times in this loss, mainly in failing to pull the trigger when receivers were open.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

19 human-written examples

Most programming jobs seemed downright, god-awful boring.

Science Magazine

And with it a whole load of other upstairs-downstairs shenanigans, from the enjoyably, camply good to the downright bonkers-implausibly awful.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

This year alone, I've seen 200 pitches through this initiative – some brilliant, some awful and some downright bizarre.

The Guardian

From awkward embarrassment to just-plain-awful embarrassment to downright humiliation, Father's Day memories can stir up emotions you probably haven't felt in a while.

Huffington Post

And maybe it's because some of us are so downright crazy, and come from such awful upbringings, that we're a danger to ourselves.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "downright awful" to express strong disapproval or dissatisfaction, particularly when describing something that is surprisingly or unexpectedly bad. It's more impactful than simply saying "bad" or "poor".

Common error

While "downright awful" is acceptable in many situations, consider using more formal alternatives like "extremely poor" or "unacceptable" in professional or academic writing to maintain a more serious tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "downright awful" functions as an intensifying adjective phrase, modifying a noun to emphasize the extreme negativity or poor quality of something. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a correct and usable English expression.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

94%

Wiki

4%

Science & Research

2%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "downright awful" is a common and grammatically correct expression used to convey strong disapproval or dissatisfaction. Ludwig AI indicates its acceptability in written English. Predominantly found in News & Media, the phrase serves to emphasize the severity of a negative quality. While versatile, it's best to avoid overuse in highly formal contexts, opting for alternatives like "extremely poor". As Ludwig's examples demonstrate, "downright awful" is an effective way to express a strong negative sentiment, but consider your audience and context to ensure appropriateness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

genuinely awful

Stresses the authenticity and severity of the awfulness.

absolutely terrible

Emphasizes the extreme negativity, focusing on the quality of something.

utterly dreadful

Highlights the unpleasantness and despair associated with something.

truly atrocious

Implies that something is shockingly bad or of very poor quality.

completely wretched

Emphasizes the misery and distress caused by something.

plain bad

A simple and direct way to express that something is not good.

simply the worst

A straightforward superlative to indicate the lowest quality.

thoroughly lousy

Indicates that something is of poor quality or unsatisfactory.

seriously substandard

Highlights the failure to meet expected or required standards.

remarkably poor

Emphasizes that the quality is noticeably below average.

FAQs

How to use "downright awful" in a sentence?

You can use "downright awful" to describe something that is extremely bad or unpleasant, for example: "The weather today is "downright awful"." It emphasizes the severity of the negative quality.

What can I say instead of "downright awful"?

You can use alternatives like "absolutely terrible", "utterly dreadful", or "genuinely awful" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "downright awful" too informal for professional writing?

While acceptable in many contexts, consider using more formal alternatives like "extremely poor" or "unacceptable" in professional or academic writing to maintain a more serious tone.

What's the difference between "downright awful" and "slightly bad"?

"Downright awful" expresses a much stronger negative sentiment than "slightly bad". "Downright awful" indicates something is exceptionally poor, while "slightly bad" suggests only a minor deficiency.