truly awful

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "truly awful" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to emphasize the extent of something being bad or unpleasant. Example: "The movie was truly awful; I couldn't sit through the entire thing."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

(Some are truly awful).

Independent

Nothing truly awful, anyway.

The New York Times - Sports

It is truly awful!

The Guardian - Tech

Was the game truly awful?

The Guardian - Tech

My God, how truly awful you are".

The New Yorker

It is, as she says, truly awful.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

"Oh, I thought it was truly awful.

The Guardian

Its aftermath is truly awful to contemplate.

The Guardian - Books

Or because it's really truly awful.

The Guardian - Film

("A truly awful biker film," one critic said).

The New York Times

But was mired in a truly awful game of rugby.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "truly awful" to emphasize the severity of something negative, but consider the audience and context to ensure it's appropriate. It is suitable for expressing strong disapproval or disappointment.

Common error

While "truly awful" is acceptable in many situations, avoid overusing it in formal writing or professional settings. Opt for more nuanced or sophisticated language to convey your message with greater precision and impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "truly awful" functions as an intensifier (truly) + adjective (awful), modifying a noun or pronoun to express a strong negative assessment. This is supported by Ludwig, which indicates the phrase is correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "truly awful" is a common and grammatically correct way to express strong disapproval or negativity. According to Ludwig, it is correct and appropriate for use in written English. Predominantly found in News & Media contexts, the phrase functions as an intensifier modifying an adjective, serving to emphasize the extremely negative qualities of something. While versatile, it's important to consider the audience and context, opting for more formal alternatives in professional settings. Alternatives include "genuinely terrible" and "utterly appalling". In summary, "truly awful" is a potent and widely recognized way to convey intense negativity, but judicious use ensures its impact is maximized.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

genuinely terrible

Replaces "awful" with "terrible" and "truly" with "genuinely", maintaining the emphasis on the bad quality.

absolutely dreadful

Uses "dreadful" instead of "awful" and "absolutely" instead of "truly", intensifying the negative feeling.

utterly appalling

Substitutes "awful" with "appalling" and "truly" with "utterly", conveying a sense of shock or disgust.

exceptionally bad

Replaces "awful" with "bad" and "truly" with "exceptionally", highlighting the extreme level of poorness.

remarkably poor

Uses "poor" instead of "awful" and "remarkably" instead of "truly", focusing on the lack of quality.

terribly wrong

Emphasizes that something is significantly incorrect or misguided.

abjectly horrible

Replace "truly" with "abjectly" and "awful" with "horrible" conveying a sense of wretchedness

completely unacceptable

Focuses on the unacceptability of something, indicating it's far below standards.

patently deficient

Highlights the obvious lack of something important or necessary.

veritably atrocious

Similar to "truly awful" but using more formal language to express extreme poorness

FAQs

How can I use "truly awful" in a sentence?

You can use "truly awful" to describe something of very poor quality or a very unpleasant experience. For example, "The movie was "truly awful"; I walked out halfway through."

What can I say instead of "truly awful"?

You can use alternatives like "genuinely terrible", "absolutely dreadful", or "utterly appalling" depending on the specific context.

Is "truly awful" too informal for professional writing?

While "truly awful" is generally understandable, it may be perceived as slightly informal for certain professional contexts. Consider alternatives like "exceptionally bad" or "remarkably poor" for a more formal tone.

Which is correct: "truly awful" or "awfully truly"?

"Truly awful" is the correct and idiomatic phrasing. "Awfully truly" is not a standard construction and would sound unnatural to native English speakers.