it was dreadful

USAGE SUMMARY

"It was dreadful" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe something unpleasant or bad. For example: "I tried the new dessert, but it was dreadful."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

The New Yorker

The Guardian

The New York Times

BBC

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

She recalled that, before the work began, "it was dreadful to walk by the house, and almost impossible to explain its state to members of the family living abroad".

The New York Times

It was dreadful and disorderly, yet she was roused by its truth, as if by the revelation of something that had been hidden from her.

The New Yorker

It was "dreadful", she says.

The Guardian

"It was dreadful," he said recently.

The New York Times

I thought it was dreadful".

The Guardian

It was dreadful, absolutely dreadful.

The Guardian

Then he did sing and it was dreadful.

Independent

I used to and it was dreadful," she remarked.

The Telegraph

When I reached the houses it was dreadful.

The Guardian

"Oh gosh, it was dreadful," Ms. Birkin said.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

CLAPPER: I thought it was dreadful; that was unconscionable.

Harvard University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "it was dreadful" to express strong disapproval or a very negative experience. Ensure the context clearly indicates what "it" refers to.

Common error

Avoid using "it was dreadful" without a clear reference to what "it" signifies. Ensure your audience understands what you are describing to avoid confusion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it was dreadful" functions as an evaluative statement, expressing a strong negative opinion or judgment about something. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and used to convey something unpleasant or bad. The examples show it used in various contexts to criticize experiences, performances, or situations.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

86%

The New Yorker

3%

BBC

3%

Less common in

Wiki

1%

Science

1%

Formal & Business

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it was dreadful" is a grammatically correct and frequently used expression to convey strong disapproval or a highly negative experience. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it’s suitable for describing something unpleasant or of poor quality. The phrase appears most commonly in news and media contexts. When using "it was dreadful", ensure a clear reference to the subject to avoid vagueness. Consider alternatives like "it was awful" or "it was terrible" for similar but slightly different nuances. Its versatile usage makes it a valuable phrase for expressing negative sentiments effectively.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it was awful

Replaces "dreadful" with "awful", a common synonym expressing a negative experience.

it was terrible

Substitutes "dreadful" with "terrible", another widely used synonym indicating something very unpleasant.

it was horrible

Replaces "dreadful" with "horrible", emphasizing the unpleasantness of the experience.

it was appalling

Uses "appalling" instead of "dreadful", suggesting something shocking and deeply disturbing.

it was atrocious

Replaces "dreadful" with "atrocious", highlighting the extreme unpleasantness or poor quality.

it was ghastly

Substitutes "dreadful" with "ghastly", implying something unpleasant and frightening.

it was frightful

Replaces "dreadful" with "frightful", suggesting something causing great alarm or fear.

it was shocking

Uses "shocking" to replace "dreadful", highlighting the surprising or disturbing nature of the situation.

it was unbearable

Employs "unbearable" instead of "dreadful", indicating that the experience was too difficult to endure.

it was lamentable

Replaces "dreadful" with "lamentable", a more formal term expressing regret or disappointment about something.

FAQs

How can I use "it was dreadful" in a sentence?

You can use "it was dreadful" to describe something extremely unpleasant or of very poor quality. For example, "The food at the restaurant was disappointing, "it was dreadful"".

What are some alternatives to "it was dreadful"?

Some alternatives include "it was awful", "it was terrible", or "it was horrible". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "it was dreadful" too strong of a phrase?

The strength of "it was dreadful" depends on the context. It conveys a strong negative sentiment, so reserve it for situations where the experience was truly awful. If you want to express a milder negative sentiment, consider alternatives like "it was unpleasant".

What's the difference between "it was dreadful" and "it was disappointing"?

"It was dreadful" expresses a stronger negative sentiment than "it was disappointing". Dreadful suggests something caused significant distress or was of extremely poor quality, while disappointing simply means it didn't meet expectations.