terribly worried

USAGE SUMMARY

"terribly worried" is correct and commonly used in written English.
It is typically used to describe someone who is extremely anxious or concerned about something. Example: "She was terribly worried about her upcoming job interview, as it could determine the course of her career."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

I'm not terribly worried".

The New York Times

("I am terribly worried," she wrote).

The New York Times

"I was terribly worried," says Brooks.

The Washington Post

Doctor, I am terribly worried about a friend of mine.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

She added, "It makes me terribly worried for him.

The New York Times

Am terribly worried about McCarthyism, even more so than ever.

The New Yorker

Some people are terribly worried about Jacob Marberger.

The Washington Post

"We are not terribly worried about the environmental question".

The New York Times

"Nobody's terribly worried at this point," Ms. Bailey said.

The New York Times

She was terribly worried and was in great pain.

The Guardian

In other words, I was not terribly worried about runaway climate change before this.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the audience and context when using "terribly worried". In formal writing, "deeply concerned" might be a more appropriate alternative.

Common error

While "terribly worried" is acceptable, avoid stacking multiple intensifiers (e.g., "very terribly worried") as it can sound unnatural and weaken the impact of your writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "terribly worried" functions as a descriptive expression, characterizing the intensity of someone's concern or anxiety. As Ludwig AI confirms, it’s a standard way to express worry. The examples show its use across various contexts to highlight emotional distress.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

64%

Academia

14%

Science

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

5%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "terribly worried" is a grammatically correct and common way to express a significant level of anxiety or concern. Ludwig AI validates its proper usage in written English. It's frequently found in News & Media and Academic contexts. While versatile, it's crucial to consider the audience and context, opting for more formal alternatives like "deeply concerned" in certain scenarios. Avoid overusing intensifiers to maintain clarity and impact in your writing. As seen in the examples, it is a widely acceptable expression to denote worry across various domains.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

extremely anxious

Replaces "terribly worried" with a synonym for "worried" and a stronger adverb, indicating a high level of anxiety.

deeply concerned

Substitutes "worried" with a more formal synonym and "terribly" with "deeply", suggesting a profound level of worry.

seriously concerned

Emphasizes the seriousness of the concern, replacing "terribly" with "seriously".

gravely apprehensive

Uses more formal and intense vocabulary to describe a serious level of worry about potential negative outcomes.

intensely uneasy

Replaces "worried" with "uneasy" and "terribly" with "intensely", conveying a strong feeling of discomfort and anxiety.

quite distressed

Employs "distressed" to replace "worried" and uses "quite" as an intensifier, indicating significant emotional upset.

very stressed

Replaces "worried" with "stressed", which is a more general term for anxiety, and uses "very" as an intensifier.

in a state of great anxiety

Expresses worry through a more descriptive phrase, highlighting the condition of being anxious.

filled with trepidation

Replaces "worried" with "trepidation", a more formal word for fear and anxiety, painting a picture of someone overcome with worry.

frightened to death

Uses a hyperbole to express extreme worry, fear, and anxiety.

FAQs

What does "terribly worried" mean?

The phrase "terribly worried" means experiencing a high degree of anxiety or concern. It suggests a significant emotional distress regarding a particular situation or potential outcome.

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

You can use "terribly worried" to describe someone's state of mind. For example: "She was terribly worried about her son's health."

What are some alternatives to "terribly worried"?

You can use alternatives like "extremely anxious", "deeply concerned", or "gravely apprehensive" depending on the context.

Is "terribly worried" too informal for academic writing?

While generally acceptable, in academic writing, consider more formal alternatives like "deeply concerned" or "seriously concerned" to maintain a professional tone.