terribly dreadful

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "terribly dreadful" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to emphasize the severity or intensity of something that is very bad or unpleasant. Example: "The weather today is terribly dreadful, making it impossible to go outside without getting soaked."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

"I know he's with God, but not having a body is so terribly dreadful.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

"Awful, dreadful.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

I had quite a few dinner parties but the message got back to me that someone thought: "She's terribly good fun, but her food is dreadful".

The Guardian - Lifestyle

"A lot of my wickedness happened in the context of dreadful depressive illness, I really was terribly sick, for years.

The Guardian - Books

Terribly unjust as it may be, Madeleine's parents' dreadful victimhood was complicated, in the mind of the public, by their parenting decisions.

The Guardian

I didn't need my new pen, but it felt terribly grown up to own one, and it made my dreadful handwriting look slightly more sophisticated.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Dreadful effort.

The New York Times

"Perfectly dreadful.

The New Yorker

Terribly, terribly sad.

Independent

Terribly, terribly wrong, Dr. Diehl.

The New York Times

Dreadful creature!

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

While "terribly dreadful" is grammatically correct, consider using a single, strong adjective like "appalling" or "atrocious" for a more concise and impactful statement. For instance, instead of saying "the situation is terribly dreadful", you could say "the situation is appalling".

Common error

Avoid stacking intensifiers unnecessarily. While "terribly dreadful" isn't incorrect, it can sound redundant. Choose the most descriptive adjective and let it stand on its own for a stronger impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "terribly dreadful" functions as an adjectival phrase, modifying a noun to express a negative quality. The adverb "terribly" intensifies the adjective "dreadful", indicating a high degree of unpleasantness. As Ludwig AI pointed out, the phrase is grammatically correct, but somewhat redundant.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "terribly dreadful" is a grammatically correct but somewhat redundant way to express strong disapproval or negative sentiment. While Ludwig AI confirms its usability, it's important to consider more concise alternatives for impactful writing. This phrase appears rarely, mainly in news and media, it's neutral but leans less formal. Be mindful of overusing intensifiers and choose the most descriptive adjective for clarity and impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

awfully terrible

Replaces "terribly" with "awfully" while keeping "terrible" as a synonym for "dreadful".

dreadfully awful

Inverts the order and replaces "terribly" with "dreadfully".

exceptionally dreadful

Replaces "terribly" with "exceptionally" to emphasize the degree of dreadfulness.

utterly dreadful

Implies that something is completely and absolutely dreadful.

remarkably terrible

Emphasizes the degree of the terrible nature through the word remarkably

extremely awful

Substitutes both words with near-synonyms that amplify the negative feeling.

unusually awful

Emphasizes the degree of awfulness through the word unusually

horrendously bad

Replaces both adjectives to indicate a severe degree of negativity.

frightfully appalling

Uses more formal synonyms to express a similar level of dismay.

really terrible

Uses a more informal intensifier than "terribly".

FAQs

What does "terribly dreadful" mean?

The phrase "terribly dreadful" means something is extremely bad or unpleasant. "Terribly" intensifies the meaning of "dreadful", indicating a high degree of negativity.

Is it redundant to say "terribly dreadful"?

Yes, "terribly dreadful" can be considered somewhat redundant, as both words convey a similar meaning. Using a single, strong adjective like "appalling" or "atrocious" might be more effective.

What are some alternatives to "terribly dreadful"?

Instead of "terribly dreadful", you could use phrases like "extremely awful", "horrendously bad", or "frightfully appalling".

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

You might say, "The weather is terribly dreadful today", meaning the weather is extremely unpleasant. However, consider if a single adjective would be more impactful.