exceptionally awful

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "exceptionally awful" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is extremely bad or of very poor quality. Example: "The movie was exceptionally awful, leaving the audience disappointed and frustrated."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Its election record, says a European Union observer, is "exceptionally awful".

The Economist

"My mother was an awful cook, an exceptionally awful kosher cook, but I stayed kosher until I got to college, even though I'd long stopped believing in God.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

While airlines across the world appear to be engaged in a race to the bottom when it comes to customer experience, it is America's airlines which stand out as exceptionally awful.

The Guardian - Opinion

And the promise to "let the voters speak" is increasingly looking like one of the many whoppers delivered in the exceptionally awful campaign season about to end.

Huffington Post

Even for a man who knows he's a fraud, having so much praise heaped upon him when he knows he's been especially idiotic had to be exceptionally awful.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

He had always kicked exceptionally in his pregame work until Sunday, when he looked awful, repeatedly mishitting the ball.

The New York Times - Sports

As Josh Nelson put it on the blog EnviroKnow, "Obama is either an exceptionally bad negotiator, or he actually believes in some truly awful policy ideas.

The New Yorker

Awful, Awful, Awful.

The New York Times

Exceptionally still.

The New York Times - Books

Awful, awful refereeing".

The Guardian - Sport

Awful, awful cricket.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "exceptionally awful" to emphasize a particularly negative quality or experience. It's effective when you want to convey that something is not just bad, but noticeably worse than expected.

Common error

While "exceptionally awful" is acceptable, it might be perceived as too informal or subjective in formal writing. Consider more neutral or precise alternatives like "critically flawed" or "significantly substandard" in professional settings.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "exceptionally awful" functions as an adjective phrase that modifies a noun. It intensifies the negative attribute of something being described. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase is grammatically correct and usable in English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "exceptionally awful" is a grammatically correct adjectival phrase used to express strong disapproval. Ludwig AI confirms its usability, mainly within news and media contexts. While effective for emphasizing negative qualities, it may be too informal for professional or academic writing. Alternatives like "terribly bad" or "extremely dreadful" can offer similar intensity with slight tonal variations. The phrase's function is primarily critical, indicating that something is noticeably worse than expected.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

terribly bad

Replaces "exceptionally" with "terribly", maintaining the intensity of the negative assessment.

extremely dreadful

Substitutes both "exceptionally" and "awful" with synonyms that amplify the negative connotation.

remarkably terrible

Replaces "exceptionally" with "remarkably" and "awful" with "terrible", slightly altering the tone.

singularly bad

Uses "singularly" to emphasize the degree of badness, offering a slightly more formal tone.

unusually poor

Replaces "awful" with "poor", softening the intensity while keeping the expression negative.

particularly atrocious

Emphasizes the severity of "awful" by using "particularly atrocious", intensifying the expression.

exceptionally poor

Replaces "awful" with "poor", resulting in a slightly milder expression.

extraordinarily bad

Uses "extraordinarily" as an alternative to "exceptionally", keeping the negative connotation.

uncommonly awful

Replaces "exceptionally" with "uncommonly", keeping "awful" to maintain the negative feeling.

decidedly unpleasant

Replaces "awful" with a more indirect term, "unpleasant", softening the expression considerably.

FAQs

How can I use "exceptionally awful" in a sentence?

You can use "exceptionally awful" to describe something of very poor quality or an extremely bad experience. For example: "The service was "exceptionally awful", we will never come back".

What are some alternatives to "exceptionally awful"?

Alternatives include "terribly bad", "extremely dreadful", or "remarkably terrible", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is "exceptionally awful" formal or informal?

"Exceptionally awful" tends to be more informal. In formal contexts, consider using phrases like "critically flawed" or "significantly substandard".

When is it appropriate to use "exceptionally awful" in writing?

It's appropriate to use "exceptionally awful" when you want to strongly emphasize the negative quality of something in a non-formal context, like in a review or casual conversation.