ghastly time

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "ghastly time" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a very unpleasant or distressing experience or period. Example: "The event turned into a ghastly time for everyone involved, filled with unexpected challenges and misfortunes."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

"Youth", wrote Moore "is a ghastly time".

Independent

"It was just a ghastly time," said Mr. Schwarz, 65. "It was just a terrible chapter for us".

The New York Times

We live two miles from the village, with no other means of transportation, no drugstores, or markets nearer than the village, and are having a ghastly time of it".

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

I think – I hope – a lot because they're a bit ghastly; at times it's like eavesdropping on a pair of self-obsessed luvvie types in a Notting Hill restaurant.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

The invocation of Jews as rats is ghastly — both times I've seen the movie I could almost hear the audience holding its collective breath — but Landa keeps smiling and talking and charming, and Mr. Waltz's performance is so very good, so persuasive, seductive and, crucially, so distracting that you can readily move past the moment if you choose.

The New York Times

The Republicans' antics are a ghastly waste of time at a moment when the nation is expecting real leadership from Congress, and suggest that the new House leadership is still unable to make tough choices.

The New York Times

November 18 2015 November 22 201515 Poulenc's "Les Mamelles de Tirésias," written during the Nazi occupation of France, and Ullmann's "Der Kaiser von Atlantis," written at the Theresienstadt concentration camp, share a sense of dizzying, chaotic satire — the first light, the second quite dark — in ghastly, war-riven times.

The New Yorker

"Life Itself," a title that was taken from Roger Ebert's autobiography, chronicles the life of the famed film critic –- including the last few months before his death, in, at times, ghastly detail.

Huffington Post

As I spoke and hunted at the same time, a ghastly realisation hit me.

The Economist

It travels back and forth in time, revealing ghastly truths in a beguilingly casual way.

The Guardian - Film

At the inky heart of the case, in that ghastly little hole in time, the silence remains.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "ghastly time" to emphasize the extremely unpleasant or distressing nature of a particular period. It's stronger than simply saying it was a bad or difficult time.

Common error

While "ghastly time" is a valid phrase, avoid using it excessively in casual conversation. Its strong negative connotation might sound overly dramatic in everyday situations; consider milder alternatives like "rough patch" or "difficult period" in those contexts.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "ghastly time" functions as an adjective-noun combination where "ghastly" modifies the noun "time". It intensifies the description, highlighting the extremely unpleasant nature of the period. Ludwig confirms the correctness of the expression.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "ghastly time" is a grammatically sound and usable phrase to describe an exceptionally unpleasant period. Ludwig identifies its correctness and notes its appearance primarily in news and media contexts. While effective for conveying strong negative sentiment, it should be used judiciously in informal settings. Consider "terrible time" or "horrible time" as less emphatic alternatives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

horrendous period

Replaces "ghastly" with "horrendous" and "time" with "period", both synonyms that indicate a difficult experience.

horrific ordeal

Substitutes "ghastly time" with "horrific ordeal", emphasizing the extremely difficult and painful nature of the experience.

terrible phase

Substitutes "ghastly" with "terrible" and "time" with "phase", suggesting a particularly unpleasant but possibly temporary experience.

dreadful experience

Replaces "ghastly time" with "dreadful experience", focusing on the unpleasantness of the event rather than the duration.

awful moment

Changes "ghastly time" to "awful moment", highlighting a specific, very unpleasant point in time.

nightmarish period

Replaces "ghastly" with "nightmarish", suggesting a period filled with fear and anxiety.

unpleasant episode

Replaces "ghastly" with "unpleasant" and "time" with "episode", softening the intensity of the original phrase while keeping the negative connotation.

unfortunate chapter

Substitutes "ghastly time" with "unfortunate chapter", framing the experience as a specific, negative part of a larger story or history.

trying experience

Replaces "ghastly" with "trying", suggesting a difficult and challenging experience.

grim situation

Changes "ghastly time" to "grim situation", emphasizing the seriousness and unpleasantness of the circumstances.

FAQs

How can I use "ghastly time" in a sentence?

You can use "ghastly time" to describe a particularly unpleasant or distressing period. For example, "The recession was a ghastly time for many families."

What's a more common way to say "ghastly time"?

Alternatives to "ghastly time" include "terrible time", "horrible time", or "difficult period", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is "ghastly time" formal or informal?

"Ghastly time" leans toward a slightly more formal or emphatic tone, suitable for news reports or descriptive writing. In very casual settings, simpler phrases might be preferred.

What's the difference between "ghastly time" and "difficult time"?

"Ghastly time" suggests a period that was exceptionally unpleasant and distressing. "Difficult time"/s/difficult+time, while also negative, might simply refer to a period with challenges that weren't necessarily traumatic or extremely unpleasant.