terrible

/'terəbl/

Thân thiện

A terrible storm raged outside the window.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Extremely bad, severe, or unpleasant: Used to describe something of very poor quality, intense negativity, or extreme unpleasantness.
   • Causing great fear, dread, or terror: Used to describe something that inspires fear or is horrifying.
   • (Informal) Very great in degree; excessive: Used for emphasis, often to describe a large amount or a strong negative trait.

Usage Examples

• Describing something extremely bad or unpleasant:

  • The movie received terrible reviews from the critics.
  • She had a terrible headache after working all day.
  • He is a terrible driver; he always causes accidents.

• Causing fear or dread:

  • The villagers told stories of a terrible monster in the forest.
  • The soldiers faced a terrible fate if captured.

• Used for emphasis (informal):

  • I'm in a terrible hurry, so I can't talk now.
  • She felt a terrible guilt for her mistake.

Advanced Usage

• "Something terrible": Often used as a noun phrase to refer to a very bad event or situation.
  • I fear something terrible has happened.
• "Too terrible for words": So bad it cannot be adequately described.
  • The conditions in the camp were too terrible for words.

Variants and Related Words

• Terribly (adverb): Extremely; very much.
  • I'm terribly sorry for the inconvenience.
  • The team played terribly and lost the match.

Synonyms

• Awful: Extremely bad or unpleasant.
• Dreadful: Causing great fear or suffering; very bad.
• Horrible: Causing horror; very unpleasant.
• Atrocious: Of a very poor quality; horrifyingly wicked.
• Dire: Extremely serious or urgent; dreadful.

Related Phrases and Idioms

• A terrible beauty: A phrase describing something that is awe-inspiringly magnificent yet also frightening or destructive (made famous by poet W.B. Yeats).
  • The eruption of the volcano was a terrible beauty to behold.
• To have a terrible temper: To become angry very easily and violently.
  • Be careful; the boss has a terrible temper.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. extreme in degree or extent or amount or impact
   • in a frightful hurry
   • spent a frightful amount of money
2. intensely or extremely bad or unpleasant in degree or quality
   • severe pain
   • a severe case of flu
   • a terrible cough
   • under wicked fire from the enemy's guns
   • a wicked cough
3. exceptionally bad or displeasing
   • atrocious taste
   • abominable workmanship
   • an awful voice
   • dreadful manners
   • a painful performance
   • terrible handwriting
   • an unspeakable odor came sweeping into the room
4. causing fear or dread or terror
   • the awful war
   • an awful risk
   • dire news
   • a career or vengeance so direful that London was shocked
   • the dread presence of the headmaster
   • polio is no longer the dreaded disease it once was
   • a dreadful storm
   • a fearful howling
   • horrendous explosions shook the city
   • a terrible curse

Từ đồng nghĩa

• frightful
• awful
• tremendous
• severe
• wicked
• atrocious
• abominable
• dreadful
• painful
• unspeakable