woefully good

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "woefully good" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is surprisingly or unexpectedly good, despite an initial impression of being poor or inadequate. Example: "The movie was woefully good, exceeding all my low expectations and leaving me thoroughly entertained."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

But a perfect match vs. one who is (woefully) "good enough?" How did we end up comparison shopping for romantic partners the way we wander from one auto dealership to the next, looking for the best trade-offs of features and price?

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Gyan then twice misfired woefully wide from good positions, either side of a flicked effort by Jordan Ayew which fizzed just over the bar.

The Guardian - Sport

"Science fiction films, including those of the recent past, have been woefully short of good science advice," he said.

Wikipedia

As I noted a few weeks ago about Raleigh, the city is very much on the move and has grown a crop of first-rate contemporary and ethnic restaurants, although it is woefully lacking in good Italian places to dine.

Huffington Post

And both shows rise above a woefully flimsy format with good writing and exceptionally good casts.

The New York Times - Arts

But when the devastating effects of its patents became apparent, and it remained adamant in exerting its full monopoly rights, these pretensions of interest in the greater good were woefully unconvincing.

The New York Times

For most Russians, however, Coca-Cola is an unseen enemy, and an enemy whose composition they have woefully miscalculated; indeed, a good many relatively well-informed Soviet citizens believe that Coke is an alcoholic beverage.

The New Yorker

"Parents will be right to say that such a woefully weak system is not good enough".

Independent

The woefully misfiring Westwood had the good grace to spend most of the round loudly guffawing at his partner's escapology with a look of incredulity and glee writ large across his otherwise flustered coupon.

The Guardian - Sport

It was just woefully unfunny.

The Guardian

Even so, Democrats aggressively attacked Mr. Bush for a bill that they said looked good in theory but was woefully shortchanged in the president's budget.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "woefully good" to add a touch of irony or surprise when describing something that exceeded low expectations. It's most effective when the initial impression suggested inadequacy.

Common error

Avoid using "woefully good" when simply describing something of high quality. Its impact relies on the contrast between the initial negative expectation and the eventual positive outcome.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "woefully good" functions as an adverb-adjective combination, modifying the adjective "good" to indicate a surprising or unexpected degree of quality. As indicated by Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct, albeit not frequently used.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "woefully good" is a grammatically sound but infrequent expression used to convey surprise when something exceeds low expectations. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness, and while examples are scarce, the phrase can effectively add irony or humor to writing. Alternative phrases like "surprisingly excellent" or "unexpectedly great" offer similar meanings. Remember to use it when there's a genuine contrast between anticipated inadequacy and actual quality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

surprisingly excellent

Emphasizes the unexpected nature of the excellence.

unexpectedly great

Highlights that the greatness was not anticipated.

remarkably proficient

Focuses on a high level of skill that is noteworthy.

surprisingly adept

Highlights the unexpected skill or cleverness displayed.

unusually skillful

Stresses the uncommon nature of the skill.

impressively capable

Emphasizes the capability is worthy of admiration.

surprisingly competent

Focuses on unexpected competence or ability.

unexpectedly talented

Highlights a talent that was not foreseen.

exceedingly proficient

Uses a more formal tone to indicate a high level of proficiency.

unexpectedly skillful

Similar to "unusually skillful", focusing on the surprise element.

FAQs

How can "woefully good" be used in a sentence?

You can use "woefully good" to describe something that is surprisingly or unexpectedly good, despite an initial impression of being poor or inadequate. For example: "The budget airline's service was "woefully good", exceeding all expectations."

What phrases are similar to "woefully good"?

Alternatives include "surprisingly excellent", "unexpectedly great", or "remarkably proficient". These phrases capture the element of unexpected quality or skill.

Is "woefully good" a common expression?

While grammatically correct, "woefully good" is not a frequently used expression. Its impact stems from the surprising contrast it creates, making it more suitable for specific contexts rather than general use.

When is it appropriate to use "woefully good"?

Use "woefully good" when you want to emphasize that something turned out much better than anticipated, especially when initial indicators suggested it would be lacking or inadequate.