totally horrendous

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "totally horrendous" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to express strong disapproval or to describe something as extremely bad or unpleasant. Example: "The service at the restaurant was totally horrendous, and I don't think I'll be returning anytime soon."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Thurston: "Yeah, a lot of people you really liked when you were 14 are totally horrendous now.

The Guardian - Music

"The first six months I had here at Hearts were immense and this last year has been totally horrendous for me and my family.

BBC

I looked in my calendar and it's totally horrendous how I ever thought I could manage...but I was out of it.

BMC Family Practice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

What the report did do, though, was make clear that ALL the horrendous conspiracy theories (every one) and calls for impeachment that the Far Right has been dumping for the past two years had absolutely, full, totally zero merit.

Huffington Post

Both are horrendous and totally unacceptable incidents.

The Guardian

The publicist Max Clifford, who has been hired by Dewani, told Sky News today his client thought the allegation of involvement in his wife's murder is "absurd and obscene", and that he was "totally innocent of the horrendous crime".

The Guardian

In India, with its horrendous bureaucracy and totally inefficient legal system, the government was incapable of making radical pro-growth policy decisions.

Forbes

It's an horrendous illness, it's shocking, you feel totally useless, you feel that you're no use to your family, you're no use to your children, you're no use to yourself, you can't drag yourself out of it, you can't be happy, you can't do anything.

BMC Family Practice

Horrendous decision.

The Guardian - Sport

The weather is horrendous".

The New York Times

"Ugh, it's horrendous.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "totally horrendous", consider the impact of such strong language. Reserve it for situations where the negative sentiment is genuinely warranted to avoid sounding hyperbolic or insincere.

Common error

Avoid using "totally horrendous" repeatedly in your writing. Overusing intensifiers like "totally" can weaken your message and make your writing sound less credible. Instead, vary your vocabulary and use more specific adjectives to convey the intensity of your feelings.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "totally horrendous" functions as an adjectival phrase, modifying a noun to express a strong negative assessment. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically sound. It intensifies the adjective "horrendous", indicating an extreme level of negativity.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

66.66%

Science

33.33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "totally horrendous" is a grammatically correct adjectival phrase used to express strong negative sentiment. Ludwig AI analysis confirms its usability, while cautioning against overuse in formal contexts. It's most frequently found in News & Media. For alternative expressions conveying similar negativity, consider phrases like "utterly dreadful" or "absolutely awful", depending on the desired nuance. While understandable, consider using different words to express the same concept.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

utterly dreadful

Emphasizes the poor quality or nature of something.

absolutely awful

Indicates a very strong feeling of dislike or disgust.

completely terrible

Highlights the severe negativity or inadequacy of something.

thoroughly appalling

Implies something is shocking and deeply unpleasant.

downright atrocious

Suggests something is extremely bad or offensive.

unmitigated disaster

Describes a situation that is a complete and utter failure.

wholly unacceptable

Indicates something that cannot be tolerated or allowed.

simply the worst

A straightforward expression of extreme dissatisfaction.

remarkably bad

Highlights how notably poor something is.

exceptionally poor

Focuses on the sub-par quality of something.

FAQs

How can I use "totally horrendous" in a sentence?

You can use "totally horrendous" to describe something extremely unpleasant or bad. For instance, "The traffic today was "totally horrendous", and I was late for my meeting."

What's a less intense alternative to "totally horrendous"?

If "totally horrendous" sounds too strong, you could use phrases like "very bad", "awful", or "terrible" depending on the context.

Is "totally horrendous" appropriate for formal writing?

While grammatically correct, "totally horrendous" is quite informal. In formal writing, consider using more professional alternatives like "completely unacceptable" or "thoroughly appalling".

What's the difference between "totally horrendous" and "slightly horrendous"?

"Totally horrendous" implies something is extremely bad, whereas "slightly horrendous" suggests it's only a little bad. The addition of "totally" serves to amplify the negativity of "horrendous".