as in extremely
to a great degree
I'm awfully sorry
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of awfully
The willingness of the officers to jump into some awfully cold water was for a good cause – Special Olympics Illinois — is admirable.
—
Clifford Ward, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Emma is a literary editor, though the specifics are awfully vague—a late subplot involving challenges on the job feels particularly superficial—and her love for literature seems to begin and end with that novel in the café.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2026
For a global city, New York can be awfully provincial.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 1 Apr. 2026
That sounds like an awfully low bar for a team on pace to rack up at least 120 points during the regular season.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 30 Mar. 2026
The classic bikini fairing harks back to the original café racer's front end, surrounding a pair of awfully low-slung clip-on handlebars and dual electronic clocks behind a compact visor.
—New Atlas, 6 Mar. 2026
But the combination of naked ambition, absence of cynicism, and a sunny disposition seemed awfully suspicious.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026
The dollars per share can be awfully confusing.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 27 Feb. 2026
Motta reluctantly agreed to be Bernie Bickerstaff’s top assistant, and to teach the Nuggets his offense — and the $300,000 salary looked awfully good.
—Brad Townsend, Dallas Morning News, 26 Feb. 2026
Clifford Ward, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Emma is a literary editor, though the specifics are awfully vague—a late subplot involving challenges on the job feels particularly superficial—and her love for literature seems to begin and end with that novel in the café.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2026
For a global city, New York can be awfully provincial.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 1 Apr. 2026
That sounds like an awfully low bar for a team on pace to rack up at least 120 points during the regular season.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 30 Mar. 2026
The classic bikini fairing harks back to the original café racer's front end, surrounding a pair of awfully low-slung clip-on handlebars and dual electronic clocks behind a compact visor.
—New Atlas, 6 Mar. 2026
But the combination of naked ambition, absence of cynicism, and a sunny disposition seemed awfully suspicious.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026
The dollars per share can be awfully confusing.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 27 Feb. 2026
Motta reluctantly agreed to be Bernie Bickerstaff’s top assistant, and to teach the Nuggets his offense — and the $300,000 salary looked awfully good.
—Brad Townsend, Dallas Morning News, 26 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for awfully
Adverb
-
That can be attributed to the fact that Rolex models were already highly valued in 2018 and were also in extremely high demand during the pandemic.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Almost all natural bodies of water bear fish life, with the exception of very hot thermal ponds and extremely salt-alkaline lakes, such as the Dead Sea in Asia and the Great Salt Lake in North America.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
There are double lotteries and protections that would put a safety net beneath the very worst teams.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
-
For activities lasting longer than 1-2 hours, or in very hot environments, sports drinks can help replenish carbohydrates and electrolytes, but be mindful of sugar content.—
Dr. Sarah Kinsella,
Boston Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
The new Attorney General is apt to be just as destructive as Bondi—maybe even more so, given that Bondi, who had little familiarity with the federal legal system, was not terribly effective in the job.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
-
In his absence was a grievance fest about a nation heading terribly off course, with foes at every turn to defy the greatness for which MAGA yearns.—
Alex J. Rouhandeh,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
What starts as a playful, casual parlor game suddenly turns incredibly dark, not just because of Emma’s confession but by Rachel’s sudden turn from loyal friend to judgmental scold.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Hardside coolers are incredibly heavy when filled, but this one is easy to wheel across parking lots, beaches, and parks.—
Sian Babish,
PEOPLE,
7 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Tiffany, the Republican candidate for governor in Wisconsin, cautioned against reading too much into Tuesday’s results.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The Royals’ offense had its early-season frustrations a year ago before turning it on after the All-Star break — albeit too late to make a playoff run.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
9 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
The Renpho MorphoScan Nova proved highly accurate in testing, especially for weight readings.—
Andrew Gebhart,
PC Magazine,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The Glamour Studio for simultaneous hair, make-up, and nail rituals is sure to be a hit with the highly coiffed residents of the Athenian Riviera.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
But Cleveland State was, in fact, a damned good basketball team, as were most of the double-digit seed winners in NCAA Tournament history.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
18 Mar. 2026
-
And damned if Love isn’t willing to talk, sometimes candidly and other times in maddeningly vague terms, about all the hell she’s gone through to get to right now.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
28 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Videos of the incident show the vehicle badly damaged and engulfed in flames.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Trump has made the ballroom a priority of his second term, calling it a badly needed given the lack of large event space on the White House grounds.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Awfully.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/awfully. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
