terribly hard work

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "terribly hard work" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a task or job that is extremely difficult and requires a lot of effort. Example: "Completing the project on time was terribly hard work, but we managed to pull it off."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Fleur Adcock, another candidate, noted, "It's terribly hard work for very little pay," despite attempts by the present Laureate, Andrew Motion, and Tony Blair to up the salary, adding five thousand pounds a year to the customary "butt of sack".

The New Yorker

"I was really in the end quite thankful, because I suddenly realised what I always knew as I was swinging through it all, that it would be terribly, terribly hard work.

The Guardian - Books

It's terribly hard work; it asks a great deal of its audience; it is utterly dry and no fun at all.But that Ms. de Keersmaeker could even contemplate choreographing to this music, and then go on to make it legible and thrilling, is a triumph.

The New York Times - Arts

Andrew Solomon, author of the extraordinary Far From The Tree, about parents bringing up children with extreme challenges, recently made the following simple observation: "Raising children is terribly hard work, often thankless and mind-numbing, and yet the most rapturous experience available to adults".

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Now, for a young composer, I think it must be terribly hard to work out what your route should be, unless you have an entirely personal and strong vision – which mostly you don't when you're starting out and few people have anyway.

The Guardian - Music

"Some of us work terribly hard," he said, "but if you analyzed my 735 colleagues you would find that some aren't quite so hard at work.

The New York Times

"Both Jonny and Jos work terribly hard on their keeping.

Independent

Opera singers work terribly hard to cultivate these wondrous voices.

The New York Times - Arts

As Morris does mention, they do work terribly hard; the produce is beautiful and healthful.

The New York Times - Magazine

Nonetheless in recent games – a defeat by South Africa, a squeak past Australia – the All Blacks have needed their No7 to work terribly hard.

The Guardian - Sport

Although Nathan feels Oë (pronounced oh-way) has been "undertranslated - he's terribly hard to do", his work has reached more foreign readers since his Nobel prize for literature in 1994.

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing tasks, use "terribly hard work" to emphasize not just the difficulty, but also the unpleasantness or tedium of the effort involved.

Common error

While "terribly hard work" is acceptable, overuse in formal writing can diminish its impact. Instead, consider more precise adjectives like "exceptionally", "incredibly", or "extraordinarily" to convey the level of difficulty.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "terribly hard work" functions as a descriptor, modifying a noun or pronoun. It's an adjectival phrase emphasizing the intensity and unpleasantness of the work involved. Ludwig examples show its application across different subjects, such as raising children or being a poet laureate.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

37%

Science

13%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "terribly hard work" is a descriptor indicating that a task is exceptionally difficult and requires significant effort. While grammatically correct and understandable, its usage is relatively rare, and it is primarily found in news and media contexts. Ludwig AI suggests that this phrase follows standard grammar rules. For more formal or professional settings, alternatives such as "exceptionally challenging endeavor" or "incredibly demanding job" might be more appropriate. While effective in conveying difficulty, overusing "terribly" can diminish impact, so varying vocabulary is advisable.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

extremely arduous task

Replaces "terribly" with "extremely" and "hard work" with "arduous task", emphasizing the difficulty and demanding nature of the work.

exceptionally challenging endeavor

Uses "exceptionally challenging endeavor" instead of "terribly hard work", highlighting the challenging aspect while maintaining a similar level of intensity.

incredibly demanding job

Emphasizes the demanding nature of the work by using "incredibly demanding job", making it sound like a difficult requirement.

remarkably strenuous labor

Replaces "terribly hard work" with "remarkably strenuous labor", focusing on the physical or mental effort required.

unusually toilsome undertaking

Highlights the laboriousness using "unusually toilsome undertaking", suggesting the task is particularly wearisome.

extraordinarily difficult assignment

Focuses on the difficulty, using "extraordinarily difficult assignment", which suggests a tough task that needs to be done.

particularly grueling effort

Emphasizes the exhausting nature by using "particularly grueling effort", denoting a tiring and intense exertion.

intensely laborious activity

Highlights the laboriousness using "intensely laborious activity", conveying a sense of demanding activity.

significantly taxing exertion

Focuses on how taxing the work is using "significantly taxing exertion", emphasizing the strain and drain.

seriously burdensome task

Replaces "terribly hard work" with "seriously burdensome task", highlighting the onerous and troublesome aspect of the work.

FAQs

What does "terribly hard work" mean?

The phrase "terribly hard work" describes tasks or jobs that are exceedingly difficult and require a substantial amount of effort, often implying a negative or unpleasant experience due to the intensity of the work.

What can I say instead of "terribly hard work"?

You can use alternatives like "extremely arduous task", "exceptionally challenging endeavor", or "incredibly demanding job" depending on the context.

Is it appropriate to use "terribly hard work" in a formal setting?

While understandable, "terribly hard work" might be too informal for certain formal contexts. Consider more professional alternatives such as "exceptionally challenging endeavor" or "remarkably strenuous labor" for enhanced formality.

How to use "terribly hard work" in a sentence?

You can use "terribly hard work" in a sentence like, "Completing the project on time was "terribly hard work", but the team's dedication made it possible".