horribly good

USAGE SUMMARY

'horribly good' is not a grammatically correct and usable phrase in written English.
However, you may use the phrase 'horrifically good' to mean that something is very good or excellent. For example: "The food at the new restaurant was horrifically good; I'd never tasted anything like it before!".

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

The mafia, on the other hand, looks in horribly good shape.

The Economist

But the homogenized quality of much network fare is especially frustrating here, in what should have been, if not a heartfelt study of youthful angst, at least a horribly good time.

The New York Times - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

But it is horribly effective.

The Economist

Horribly honest.

Vice

Shirley Shirley Hendersonn), for instance, is horribly embarrassed when her good, decent but not that exciting boyfriend, Dek (Rhys Ifans), pops the question in front of the cameras.

The New York Times - Arts

Their leader (Gary Oldman) favours driving in, guns blazing, but an engineer (Jason Clarke) believes that he can foster some fellow feeling between the hirsute and not-so-hirsute settlements.Alas, peace proves to be horribly precarious, which is good news for anyone in the mood for explosions, shoot-outs and acrobatic ape-on-ape punch-ups.

The Economist

On the contrary, I think we're too horribly relevant for our own good.

The Guardian

If the orphan-shipping plan was, as the organisation claims, an example of good intentions gone horribly wrong, it's also an example of how the west's good intentions are often the wrong ones.

The Guardian - Opinion

Patents and Unions: When Good Intentions Go Horribly Wrong.

TechCrunch

So it is a good sign, albeit horribly overdue, to see a nervous and contrite-seeming Dorsey stand in front of the firehose of user opinion — for 50 or so raw, unedited minutes.

TechCrunch

"Is it better to have it out there and debated, so people like Bob Ward can critique it, or do we want the media acting as a filter for what the public can hear?" The bottom line, he says, is that the BBC and media in general "has done a good job on horribly complex, very political topics," he says.

Science Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

While "horribly good" might be understood in informal contexts, opt for alternatives like "horrifically good" or "awfully good" for clearer communication, especially in formal writing.

Common error

Avoid relying on informal intensifiers like "horribly" in professional settings. Instead, use more standard adjectives such as "extremely", "remarkably", or "exceptionally" to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "horribly good" functions as an intensifier plus adjective, attempting to amplify the quality of something. However, Ludwig AI points out that it's not considered grammatically correct in standard English. The intention is to express a high degree of goodness, but the choice of "horribly" is unconventional.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "horribly good" is a phrase that attempts to convey something is exceptionally good, but it's generally considered grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI suggests using "horrifically good" as a grammatically sound alternative. While you might encounter it in informal contexts within News & Media, it's best to opt for clearer and more standard alternatives like "awfully good", "terribly good", or "incredibly good" in most writing situations. Using more conventional intensifiers will ensure your message is clear and well-received, especially in professional or academic settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

horrifically good

Replaces "horribly" with "horrifically", offering a grammatically sound alternative with a similar intensifier.

frightfully good

Uses "frightfully" as an intensifier, providing a more accepted, albeit slightly archaic, alternative.

awfully good

Replaces "horribly" with "awfully", resulting in a more common and understandable expression.

terribly good

Offers "terribly" as a substitute, conveying the same intensity but with better grammatical acceptance.

remarkably good

Shifts the focus slightly to the surprising nature of the goodness, using "remarkably".

exceptionally good

Emphasizes the high quality using "exceptionally", providing a formal and clear alternative.

surprisingly good

Highlights the unexpected nature of the quality, replacing the intensifier with "surprisingly".

unexpectedly good

Similar to "surprisingly good", but emphasizes the lack of anticipation.

incredibly good

Utilizes "incredibly" to intensify the adjective, creating a more standard expression.

outstandingly good

Uses "outstandingly" to emphasize the superior quality, offering a polished alternative.

FAQs

Is "horribly good" grammatically correct?

While understandable in casual conversation, "horribly good" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. It's better to use alternatives like "horrifically good" or "terribly good".

What can I say instead of "horribly good"?

You can use alternatives like "frightfully good", "awfully good", or "incredibly good" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "horribly good" or "horrifically good"?

"Horrifically good" is the grammatically correct choice. "Horribly good" is generally considered incorrect, though it might be used informally.

When is it appropriate to use "horribly good"?

Use "horribly good" only in very informal settings or when aiming for a deliberately non-standard effect. In most other situations, choose a grammatically correct alternative.