terrible

adjective

ter·​ri·​ble ˈter-ə-bəl 

ˈte-rə-

1

: extremely bad: such as

a

: notably unattractive or objectionable

terrible behavior

b

: of very poor quality

a terrible movie

c

: strongly repulsive : obnoxious

a terrible smell

2

a

: difficult

in a terrible bind

b

: formidable in nature : awesome

a terrible responsibility

c

: exciting extreme alarm or intense fear : terrifying

3

: extreme, great

a terrible disappointment

terribleness noun

Synonyms

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

Example Sentences

Traffic was held up by a terrible accident.

I have a terrible cold.

The service at that restaurant is terrible.

Recent Examples on the Web

The idea that there are still children out there laboring in the United States in these really exploitative situations is terrible. —Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2023

Dubon was terrible offensively last season (a .565 OPS over 265 plate appearances) and Houston believes the extra strength will improve that. —Peter Abraham, BostonGlobe.com, 25 Feb. 2023

However, inflation readings have been terrible, and last year’s broad market losses are emblematic of a substantially lower appetite for risk-taking. —George Schultze, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2023

Beauty editor Margaux Anbouba is obsessed with predicting the trends and bringing them straight to you—as she’s tried them out on her face and confirmed aren’t terrible, of course. —Margaux Anbouba, ELLE, 22 Feb. 2023

Alec Baldwin's attorney said the charges represented a terrible miscarriage of justice. —Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 20 Jan. 2023

For You page is bad because its execution is terrible. —Scott Nover, Quartz, 20 Jan. 2023

Tanner, a devoted Democrat, thought that was terrible. —Fox News, 17 Jan. 2023

Though the weather wasn’t terrible for most of the game, the ball was wet at the start. —Ann Killion, San Francisco Chronicle, 14 Jan. 2023

See More

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2c

Phrases Containing terrible

• enfant terrible

• enfant terrible

Kids Definition

terrible

adjective

ter·​ri·​ble ˈter-ə-bəl 

1

: causing terror or awe : fearful, dreadful

a terrible disaster

2

a

: very great in degree

made a terrible mess of things

a terrible cold

b

: very bad in quality

terrible music

terribly

-blē 

adverb