Refine this word faster

Stronger alternatives Opposite tone Use in context Cross-language nuance

Terrible

//ˈtɛɹəbl̩// adj, adv, slang

Definitions

Adjective

1
Dreadful; causing terror, alarm and fear; awesome
"The witch laid a terrible curse on him."
2
Formidable, powerful.
"[…]and there was even a party of the younger men who pretended to admire him, calling him a "true sea-dog," and "real old salt," and such-like names, and saying there was the sort of man that made England terrible at sea."
3
Intense; extreme in degree or extent.
"He paid a terrible price for his life of drinking."
4
Very unpleasant; disagreeable.
"The food was terrible, but it was free."
5
Very bad; lousy.
"Whatever he thinks, he is a terrible driver."

Adjective

1
causing fear or dread or terror wordnet
2
exceptionally bad or displeasing wordnet
3
intensely or extremely bad or unpleasant in degree or quality wordnet
4
extreme in degree or extent or amount or impact wordnet

Adverb

1
In a terrible way; to a terrible extent; terribly; awfully. colloquial, dialectal
"‘Oh, terrible bad, sir, terrible deep the snow is,’ said the hedgehog."

Etymology

Etymology 1

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *tres- Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éyeti Proto-Indo-European *troséyeti Proto-Italic *trozeō Latin terreō Proto-Indo-European *-dʰlis Proto-Italic *-ðlis Latin -bilis Latin terribilisbor. Old French terriblebor. Middle English terrible English terrible Inherited from Middle English terrible, from Old French terrible, from Latin terribilis (“frightful”), from terreō (“I frighten, terrify, alarm; I deter by terror, scare (away)”). Compare terror, deter. By surface analysis, terror + -ible.

Etymology 2

Next best steps

Find stronger synonyms See usage examples Check pronunciation

Mini challenge

Unscramble this word: terrible