terrible
terrible
adjective
/ˈterəbl/
1 very unpleasant; making you feel very unhappy, upset or frightened
a terrible experience
What terrible news!
I've just had a terrible thought.
It was a terrible thing to happen to someone so young.
That’s a terrible thing to say!
It smells terrible in here.
It must have been terrible to witness the accident.
I thought something really terrible had happened.
It must have been terrible for the survivors.
Nothing very terrible happened.
He's had a terrible shock.
How terrible for you!
It was the night of that terrible storm.
Both his parents died when he was six; it was terrible.
Synonyms terrible
Collocations
verbs
be
feel
look
adverb
really
truly
absolutely
preposition
for
2 causing great harm or injury; very serious
a terrible accident
He had suffered terrible injuries.
I'll have to stay with her—she's in a terrible state.
The storm was terrible and caused a lot of damage.
3 not before noun unhappy or ill
I feel terrible—I think I'll go to bed.
You look terrible, you'd better sit down.
TOPICS Health problems A1
TOPICS Feelings A1
4 (informal) of very bad quality; very bad
a terrible meal
Your driving is terrible!
I have a terrible memory for names.
Cyclists claim that most city streets are in terrible condition.
5 only before noun used to show the great extent or degree of something bad
a terrible mistake
to be in terrible pain
The room was in a terrible mess.
It was a terrible tragedy.
(informal) I had a terrible job (= it was very difficult) to persuade her to come.
You’ll be in terrible trouble if you’re late again.
Sometimes the pain is so terrible I can't sleep.
Word Origin
late Middle English (in the sense ‘causing terror’): via French from Latin terribilis, from terrere ‘frighten’.