shockingly awful

USAGE SUMMARY

"shockingly awful" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe something that is surprisingly bad or disappointing. For example, "The movie was shockingly awful, leaving the audience in disbelief." Alternative expressions include "incredibly terrible" and "astoundingly bad."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

The food was shockingly awful — tired crudités, desiccated hake, pasty potato purée — but the Château Batailley 2001 was a beauty.

The New York Times

It must be said that Collateral Beauty is one shockingly awful, emetically treacly, self-help tear-jerker.

The Guardian - Film

Managers are also painfully aware of the signs of strain in the NHS, as witnessed by reports of shockingly awful care of older people, cancelled operations and sub-optimal maternity and other services.

The Guardian

But until three days ago, I had never used a product with attributes that are both insanely awesome and shockingly awful at the same time.

TechCrunch

My final piece was a shockingly awful Mondrian impression that didn't even have straight lines painted properly.

Vice

The writer, during her planned pregnancy with her second child, learned in that shockingly awful way -- a routine ultrasound -- that the son she'd been eagerly awaiting with her husband had a horrific medical condition.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

But Iraq's generally woeful performance (shockingly bad tactics, awful morale and kit) means that learning too many lessons from "Operation Iraqi Freedom" may be inappropriate.

The Economist

But from the very first match in Brazil something has not felt quite right: a single moment of "Messi-magic" has saved every game so far, but the overall performance of the national side has led to criticism ranging from "that was worse than awful" to "shockingly appalling".

The Guardian - Sport

Yes, the jokes at the expense of the gay characters are pretty awful, but the rest of the writing is shockingly solid.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

(Claiborne's shockingly mussel-free version of billi-bi is "insanely delicious," "the early Quilted Giraffe really was awful").

The New York Times - Books

Shockingly weak.

The Guardian - Business

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "shockingly awful" to express a strong negative reaction with an element of surprise. It's suitable when you want to convey that something is not just bad, but unexpectedly so.

Common error

Avoid using "shockingly awful" in highly formal or academic writing. Opt for more neutral or precise language depending on your desired tone.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "shockingly awful" is to act as an intensifying adjective phrase. "Shockingly" modifies the adjective "awful", amplifying its negative meaning. Ludwig examples show it describing the unexpected degree of poor quality.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "shockingly awful" is a grammatically sound and readily understandable expression that describes something unexpectedly bad. Ludwig AI confirms that it is usable in written English. While not overly formal, it is considered neutral and is primarily found in news and media contexts. Alternatives such as "terribly awful" or "appallingly awful" can provide similar emphasis. When using the phrase, be mindful of the level of formality required by your writing context and consider substituting it with a more professional tone if necessary.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

terribly awful

Replaces "shockingly" with "terribly", indicating a high degree of badness.

remarkably awful

Substitutes "shockingly" with "remarkably", emphasizing the unusual nature of how bad something is.

appallingly awful

Uses "appallingly" instead of "shockingly", suggesting a sense of dismay and horror.

amazingly awful

Replaces "shockingly" with "amazingly", highlighting the surprising extent of the awfulness.

shockingly horrific

Replaces "awful" with "horrific", intensifying the negative aspect.

frighteningly awful

Substitutes "shockingly" with "frighteningly", emphasizing the fear induced by the awfulness.

astonishingly awful

Uses "astonishingly" instead of "shockingly", highlighting the degree of surprise at how awful something is.

shockingly horrendous

Replaces "awful" with "horrendous", increasing the severity of the negative description.

alarmingly awful

Substitutes "shockingly" with "alarmingly", focusing on the concern caused by the awfulness.

shockingly terrible

Replaces "awful" with "terrible", which is a very close synonym.

FAQs

What does "shockingly awful" mean?

The phrase "shockingly awful" describes something that is surprisingly bad or disappointing. It emphasizes not only the poor quality but also the unexpected nature of it.

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

You can use "shockingly awful" to describe a wide range of things, such as: "The food at the restaurant was "shockingly awful"", or "The movie's plot was "shockingly awful"".

What are some synonyms for "shockingly awful"?

Alternatives to "shockingly awful" include "terribly awful", "remarkably awful", or "appallingly awful". These phrases all convey a strong sense of negativity and surprise.

Is "shockingly awful" appropriate for formal writing?

While "shockingly awful" is grammatically correct, it might be too informal for academic or professional writing. Consider using more neutral or precise language in those contexts.