terribly delayed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "terribly delayed" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to express that something is delayed for an excessive amount of time and that the delay is causing you or someone else distress. Example: "My flight was terribly delayed, so I missed my connection and had to rebook my entire trip."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Things had been terribly delayed, Gilbert said, though he offered no further details.

The New York Times - Magazine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Fewer flights are delayed at Manchester than at the main London airports (see chart), and it fares well in customer surveys".I'm terribly suspicious of the public sector," says David Starkie, a regulatory expert.

The Economist

and the personality trait of "conscientiousness" isn't terribly high, but I.Q. is related to measures of self-control, including the ability to to delay immediate gratification for longer-term gains (called "delay discounting").

Huffington Post

Here is Bouwer explaining a late paper to a colleague in America by e-mail: "I am terribly sorry about the delay in getting the final draft to you.

The New Yorker

Mauresmo gets it to 0-40, delays things because she's not returning terribly well, but breaks eventually with a wicked [in the non-hoodie sense] shot down the line.

The Guardian - Sport

Such delays, in an environment of such intense speculation and market volatility, "can create this terribly attractive nuisance for insiders, who may trade on this information," Mr. Magnuson said.

The New York Times

Terribly, terribly sad.

Independent

Terribly, terribly wrong, Dr. Diehl.

The New York Times

Terribly exciting".

The Guardian

Terribly correct.

Independent

"Terribly bright".

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "terribly delayed" to emphasize the severity and negative impact of a delay. This phrase is suitable when the delay causes significant inconvenience or concern.

Common error

Avoid using "terribly delayed" in contexts where a simple "delayed" is sufficient. Overusing intensifiers can dilute their impact and make your writing sound melodramatic.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "terribly delayed" functions as an adjectival modifier, where "terribly" intensifies the meaning of "delayed." As shown by Ludwig, it describes the extent to which something is behind schedule.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "terribly delayed" is a grammatically correct and usable expression to emphasize the severity of a delay. Ludwig AI confirms its validity, although it's not a very common phrase. It's mostly found in News & Media contexts. Alternatives include "severely postponed" or "significantly behind schedule". Use it when you want to strongly express the inconvenience caused by a delay, but avoid overuse to maintain its impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

severely postponed

Replaces 'delayed' with 'postponed' and 'terribly' with 'severely', indicating a significant deferment.

significantly behind schedule

Uses a different structure to convey the delay, focusing on the deviation from the expected timetable.

considerably held up

Employs the phrasal verb 'held up' to mean delayed, and 'considerably' in place of 'terribly'.

extremely overdue

Shifts the focus to the item's lateness beyond a deadline, using 'overdue' to express the delay.

badly behind time

Similar to 'behind schedule' but using 'time' to stress the lateness.

critically late

Highlights the urgency and potential negative consequences because of the delay, using 'critically'.

majorly disrupted

Focuses on the disruption caused by the delay, conveying a sense of disorder and problem.

greatly protracted

Uses 'protracted' to emphasize the extended duration of the delay, making it last longer than expected.

woefully tardy

Uses 'tardy', a more formal term for late, coupled with 'woefully' to underscore the unfortunate delay.

remarkably late

Emphasizes the unexpected or noteworthy aspect of the delay, implying surprise at its occurrence.

FAQs

How can I use "terribly delayed" in a sentence?

You can use "terribly delayed" to describe something that is significantly behind schedule. For instance, "The flight was "terribly delayed" due to bad weather".

What are some alternatives to "terribly delayed"?

Alternatives include "severely postponed", "significantly behind schedule", or "extremely overdue".

Is "terribly delayed" formal or informal?

"Terribly delayed" is generally considered neutral in tone and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, although more formal options like "severely postponed" may be preferred in certain settings.

What does "terribly delayed" emphasize?

"Terribly delayed" emphasizes the severity and negative impact of the delay, suggesting that it is causing significant inconvenience or concern.