terribly high

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "terribly high" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is excessively high, such as prices, temperatures, or levels of something. Example: "The cost of living in the city has become terribly high, making it difficult for many families to afford housing."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

44 human-written examples

And regulators face a terribly high burden of proof.

The New York Times

We are paying a terribly high price -- for what?

The New York Times

None of them are terribly high on Washington's agenda, however.

The New York Times

The stakes are terribly high — one of two mighty men will be broken.

The New Yorker

(It's awful to imagine, however, that the high suicide rate may be the terribly high price).

The New Yorker

Even so, Dow Chemical's chances of stopping this deal are not terribly high.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

13 human-written examples

As I've mentioned, the open-source project is based partially off of Android — nothing terribly high-level though, just the kernel and the drivers so as to ensure that whatever progress they make can actually boot.

TechCrunch

The spike in delinquencies are coming off historically good credit quality in 2004, they note, and the levels of delinquencies aren't terribly higher than they were in the last subprime lending crisis of 1999 to 2000.

Forbes

Yes, yes, we climb up and up, we imagine we are ascending; every step is about 10 inches high, terribly tiring – and where does it all get us?

The Guardian - Arts

"At the beginning, all 14 of us in the Specials and the Selecter collectively made decisions on how 2 Tone was run and who we signed – we were terribly egalitarian and high principled," says Black.

The Guardian - Music

Those emotions come screeching through in Ms. Borsook's book, "Cyberselfish: A Critical Romp Through the Terribly Libertarian Culture of High-Tech".

The New York Times - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "terribly high", consider the context and whether a more precise adjective might be more impactful, such as "prohibitively high" for costs or "exceptionally high" for scores.

Common error

Avoid using "terribly high" in every instance where something is above average. Overusing intensifiers dilutes their impact. Reserve "terribly high" for truly exceptional or problematic levels.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "terribly high" functions as an adjectival phrase, modifying a noun to indicate that its level, degree, or intensity is significantly above the norm. As indicated by Ludwig, the phrase is usable and correct in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "terribly high" is a common and grammatically sound adjectival phrase used to emphasize that something is excessively elevated. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English. Its frequency is common, appearing most often in news and media contexts. While versatile, it's advisable to consider more precise alternatives like "extremely elevated" or "excessively high" depending on the context. Overusing this phrase can diminish its impact, so it's best reserved for situations where the level is genuinely exceptional. Overall, "terribly high" is a useful phrase for conveying a sense of excess, but careful consideration of its impact is recommended.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

extremely elevated

Replaces "terribly" with "extremely", indicating a very high level or degree.

excessively high

Substitutes "terribly" with "excessively", implying that something is higher than what is considered normal or acceptable.

inordinately high

Uses "inordinately" instead of "terribly", suggesting an unusual or disproportionate degree.

unacceptably high

Replaces "terribly" with "unacceptably", emphasizing that the level is beyond what can be tolerated.

prohibitively high

Implies that something is so high that it prevents people from doing something.

remarkably high

Replaces "terribly" with "remarkably", indicating that the high level is noticeable or surprising.

exceptionally high

Uses "exceptionally" instead of "terribly", emphasizing that the level is significantly above average.

astronomically high

Implies that the level is extremely high, similar to the vastness of astronomical numbers.

outrageously high

Replaces "terribly" with "outrageously", suggesting that the level is shocking or unfair.

shockingly high

Uses "shockingly" instead of "terribly", emphasizing that the high level is surprising and unsettling.

FAQs

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

You can use "terribly high" to describe costs, temperatures, levels, or rates that are excessively elevated. For example, "The prices in that store are "terribly high"".

What can I say instead of "terribly high"?

You can use alternatives like "extremely high", "excessively high", or "unacceptably high" depending on the specific context.

Is "terribly high" formal or informal?

"Terribly high" is generally considered neutral in tone, suitable for both formal and informal contexts. However, in highly formal writing, more precise alternatives may be preferred.

What does "terribly high" imply?

"Terribly high" implies that something is not just high, but excessively so, often to a degree that is problematic or concerning. The specific implication depends on the context in which it's used.