Terribly
'tɛrəbli
Definitions
2 meaningsTo a very great or severe degree; extremely.
'tɛrəbli
To a severe or distressing extent; very badly.
I'm terribly sorry for what happened.
💡 Simply: Imagine you stub your toe – 'Ouch, that hurt terribly!' It means something is really, really bad or extreme.
👶 For kids: When something is super, super bad, we say it's terribly!
More Examples
She played the piano terribly.
The weather was terribly cold.
How It's Used
"The movie was terribly boring."
"He suffered terribly from the loss."
In a manner that causes fear or dread.
'tɛrəbli
In a frightening or alarming way.
The monster looked terribly scary.
💡 Simply: Imagine a scary movie scene, and someone says, 'The monster looked terribly menacing!' It means something looks really scary or frightening.
👶 For kids: When something is super scary, we say it's terribly!
More Examples
The news was terribly alarming.
How It's Used
"The shadows moved terribly."
"The storm was terribly frightening."
Synonyms
Idioms & expressions
terribly sorry
Expressing sincere regret or apology.
"I'm terribly sorry for the mistake."
From Middle English terribli, equivalent to terrible + -ly. 'Terrible' comes from Latin 'terribilis' meaning 'to frighten'.
Historically, 'terribly' was used to describe something that inspires terror, as in the medieval period. Over time, it has broadened to describe something extremely bad or difficult, or a severe degree.
Memory tip
Think of something terrible and then add 'ly' - it's how much!