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terrible
/ˈtɛrəbəl/
very bad or unpleasant
The weather was terrible yesterday.
The weather was very bad or unpleasant yesterday.
general
extremely bad or unpleasant
She had a terrible experience at the restaurant.
She had a very bad experience at the restaurant.
The movie was terrible; we left halfway through.
The movie was very bad; we left halfway through.
Often used to emphasize the severity of something negative.
informal
very difficult or challenging
The math test was terrible; I barely passed.
The math test was very difficult; I barely passed.
Can be used to describe something that is hard to deal with.
Collocations
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Emphasis
Use 'terrible' to emphasize how bad something is, often stronger than 'bad' or 'awful'.
Gold Rule
Context Matters
'Terrible' is subjective; what one person finds terrible, another might not.
Word Origin
From Middle English 'terrible', from Old French 'terrible', from Latin 'terribilis', meaning 'frightening' or 'causing fear', from 'terrere' (to frighten).
Usage Notes
Often used to express strong disapproval or to describe something that is very unpleasant or severe.
Word Breakdown
terr
fear
root-ible
able to be
suffixEnglish Dictionary