terribly large

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "terribly large" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to emphasize the size of something in a negative or exaggerated way. Example: "The elephant was terribly large, dwarfing everything else in the zoo."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

By Washington standards, the industry's financial clout is not terribly large.

The New York Times - Health

We don't think the gap is terribly large in key areas".

The New York Times - Sports

"We have a system that only catches morons," sighed a member of the State Legislature's brave but not terribly large band of reformers.

The New York Times

Mind you, neither Ms. Jacobs nor Ms. Craddock pretends that this matter looms terribly large in a world filled with mayhem.

The New York Times

While we're at it, what would he have called himself had he grown up in Chelsea or Hell's Kitchen — A-C-E?) Granted, a mapmaker's headache doesn't loom terribly large when stacked against the dislocations that await millions of riders as a result of widespread service reductions being prepared.

The New York Times

Edward Dorn, who died in 1999 at 70, published more than two dozen volumes of poetry in his lifetime, all of them originally with small presses, most now ignored or forgotten except by a not terribly large coterie of longtime readers and other writers.

The New York Times - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

They are right about the cost, but terribly wrong about the large return on the investment.

The New York Times

Mr Giuliani, like his erstwhile opponent, was terribly unpopular with a large chunk of the electorate.

The Economist

We know of an instance of a fisherman, whose leg was terribly torn by a large one of this species, which lay within his nets in shallow water, and which he went to lay hold of incautiously".

Wikipedia

"Git-R-Done!" he says, in his signature guttural style, to the delight of a large but not terribly loud crowd that paid up to $60 per ticket.

The New York Times - Arts

One might imagine that by taking M and K large, it becomes terribly difficult to optimize the system throughput.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "terribly large" to emphasize a size that is problematic or negatively impactful. It's stronger than simply saying "very large".

Common error

While acceptable, "terribly large" can sound informal. In formal contexts, consider more precise alternatives like "exceptionally sizable" or "remarkably immense".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "terribly large" functions as an intensifying adjective phrase. The adverb "terribly" modifies and emphasizes the adjective "large", indicating a size that is significantly beyond the norm. As noted by Ludwig, it suggests emphasis on the size of something in a negative or exaggerated way.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Wiki

20%

Science

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "terribly large" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase for emphasizing the size of something, often with a negative connotation. Ludwig indicates that it appears in varied sources like News & Media, Wiki, and Scientific domains. While it's acceptable in many contexts, it may be best to use more formal alternatives like "exceptionally sizable" or "remarkably immense" in formal writing. The phrase serves to underscore the magnitude of an object, quantity, or issue and suggests that its size is noteworthy and perhaps problematic.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

horrendously big

Replaces "terribly" with "horrendously" and "large" with "big" to convey a similar sense of extreme size.

exceedingly huge

Substitutes "terribly" with "exceedingly" and "large" with "huge" to amplify the sense of immensity.

remarkably immense

Uses "remarkably" instead of "terribly" and "immense" in place of "large" to highlight the noteworthy size.

exceptionally sizable

Replaces "terribly" with "exceptionally" and "large" with "sizable", indicating a size beyond the ordinary.

prohibitively bulky

Shifts the focus to the unwieldy nature of the size by using "prohibitively" and "bulky".

frightfully vast

Emphasizes the daunting aspect of the size by using "frightfully" and "vast".

awfully extensive

Uses "awfully" instead of "terribly" and "extensive" in place of "large" to highlight the broad coverage.

inordinately massive

Replaces "terribly" with "inordinately" and "large" with "massive" to suggest an excessive size.

alarmingly colossal

Highlights the worrying nature of the size by using "alarmingly" and "colossal".

surprisingly humongous

Emphasizes the unexpected magnitude of the size by using "surprisingly" and "humongous".

FAQs

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

You can use "terribly large" to describe something whose size is causing concern or difficulty, for example: "The debt was "terribly large" and threatened to bankrupt the company."

What phrases are similar to "terribly large"?

Similar phrases include "extremely large", "incredibly large", or "exceptionally sizable". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "terribly large" appropriate for formal writing?

While grammatically correct, "terribly large" might be perceived as somewhat informal. Consider alternatives like "remarkably immense" or "exceptionally sizable" for a more formal tone.

What's the difference between "terribly large" and "very large"?

"Terribly large" implies a more significant degree of size than "very large". It suggests that the size is not only big but also potentially problematic or overwhelming.