terribly
Americanadverb
-
in a terrible manner
-
(intensifier)
you're terribly kind
Usage
What does terribly mean? Terribly means in a way that’s terrible—awfully, horribly, or extremely bad. The adjective terrible has a few different meanings, but the adverb form terribly is usually based on its sense meaning extremely bad or horrible, as in I did terribly on that test or The children behaved terribly this morning. Terribly is also commonly used to mean very or extremely, as in We’re terribly sorry. When used this way, it’s an intensifier—a word used to strengthen or emphasize the word it modifies. This sense of the word is commonly used in negative constructions, such as not terribly exciting, which means the same thing as not very exciting. Example: I’m not terribly interested in going on a trip with Jeff, especially since I’ve heard he drives terribly.
Etymology
Origin of terribly
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Lina, a 72-year-old doctor, said she found it "terribly sad... that this place of memories -- the place where we could have taken our children and grandchildren -- no longer exists".
From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026
Navigating the baseball draft is extraordinarily difficult, and the history of the game is littered with picks that age terribly.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
Fortunately, if no less terribly, there is more to the story, and many of the most compelling scenes have little or nothing to do with Michael.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 20, 2026
He always struck you as a manager who lived and breathed the job, who was terribly cut up by it when it didn't go to plan.
From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026
But at times his pack-brother could be terribly slow.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
