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adjective ter·ri·ble \ˈter-É™-bÉ™l, ˈte-rÉ™-\

: very shocking and upsetting

: very bad or unpleasant

Full Definition of TERRIBLE

1

a :  exciting extreme alarm or intense fear :  terrifying

b :  formidable in nature :  awesome <a terrible responsibility>

c :  difficult <in a terrible bind>

2

:  extreme, great <a terrible disappointment>

3

:  extremely bad: as

a :  strongly repulsive :  obnoxious <a terrible smell>

b :  notably unattractive or objectionable <terrible behavior>

c :  of very poor quality <a terrible movie>

— ter·ri·ble·ness noun

— ter·ri·bly \-blÄ“\ adverb

48 words to make in SCRABBLE^® with Q and no U »

Examples of TERRIBLE

1. Traffic was held up by a terrible accident.
2. I have a terrible cold.
3. The service at that restaurant is terrible.

Origin of TERRIBLE

Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin terribilis, from terrēre to frighten — more at terror

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to TERRIBLE

Synonyms

alarming, dire, direful, dread, dreadful, fearsome, forbidding, formidable, frightening, frightful, ghastly, hair-raising, horrendous, horrible, horrifying, intimidating, redoubtable, scary, shocking, spine-chilling, fearful, terrifying

Antonyms

light, moderate, soft

Related Words

daunting, demoralizing, disconcerting, discouraging, dismaying, disquieting, distressing, disturbing, perturbing, startling, threatening, troubling, trying, unnerving; bone-chilling, creepy, eerie (also eery), weird; appalling, atrocious, awful, grisly, gruesome (also grewsome), hideous, horrid, macabre, monstrous, nightmarish

Near Antonyms

calming, comforting, consoling, inviting, lulling, pacifying, quieting, reassuring, relaxing, soothing, tranquilizing (also tranquillizing); nonintimidating, nonthreatening

Rhymes with TERRIBLE

bearable, shareable, spareable, tearable, wearable