dreadfully

American  

[dred-fuh-lee] / ˈdrɛd fə li /

adverb

1. in a dreadful way.

   The pain has increased dreadfully.

2. very; extremely.

   Sorry to be so dreadfully late.

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dreadfully British  

/ ˈdrɛdfʊlɪ /

adverb

1. in a shocking, or disagreeable manner

2. (intensifier)

   you're dreadfully kind

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Etymology

Origin of dreadfully

1275–1325; Middle English. See dreadful, -ly

Example Sentences

So music breaks down barriers, as characters keep telling us in a dreadfully blunt script: “This isn’t the mill, this is the choral. And we’re all equal here.”

From The Wall Street Journal

“Yes. Many times we slipped away at the eleventh hour. We missed you dreadfully, Penny, but there seemed no way to contact you without putting you in danger.”

From Literature

While not solely to blame for their dreadfully poor domestic campaigns, injuries have certainly hampered both clubs.

From BBC

“When you get such interesting and amusing film roles, it doesn’t seem dreadfully exciting to be in the 257th revival of ‘The Rivals,’” she said.

From Los Angeles Times

Drab, laborious and dreadfully predictable, the Bianconeri promised change but seem to be delivering much of the same, with fewer positive results.

From BBC

Related Words

• disturbingly
• horribly
• shockingly
• terribly