terrible

adjective

ˈter-ə-bəl How to pronounce terrible (audio)
Definition of terriblenext
1
as in horrible
causing fear a terrible nightmare that woke me up

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect I have a terrible headache

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3
as in horrific
extremely disturbing or repellent that is a terrible movie to let your six-year-old watch

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in awful
extremely unsatisfactory this nonfat ice cream is terrible

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in poor
of low quality manufactures terrible clothes that often tear after a single wash

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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 terrible The chipmaker should have preannounced this terrible guidance, like what IBM did this summer . — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 30 Oct. 2026 My writing career began unexpectedly, with a terrible and surprising patient death. — Literary Hub, 30 Oct. 2026 Enter Laika, a little stray dog from Moscow who was about to make history—and pay a terrible price for it. — Ethan Teekah All, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Oct. 2026 Winning a championship and then moving the celebration to a practice court because the NBA needed the floor would have been a terrible look for the league. — Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for terrible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrible
  1. horrible
  2. intense
  3. horrific
  4. awful
  5. poor
  6. terrifying
  7. intensive
  8. gruesome
Adjective
  • Their monthlong travel by ship was under horrible conditions.
    — Lois K. Solomon, Sun Sentinel, 2 Nov. 2026
  • While the fire was horrible, Hong said some blessings have emerged from the tragedy.
    — Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of horrible
Adjective
  • But places like South Florida have seen more intense storms more frequently than before.
    — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 11 Nov. 2026
  • In May 2023, the G-7 began intense discussions on AI governance that would eventually produce a code of conduct for developers.
    — DANIEL REMLER, Foreign Affairs, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of intense
Adjective
  • Teen details horrific ordeal Duarte met the 15-year-old when the girl was taking a stroll with her dog near a pool at the hotel, according to Duarte’s arrest report.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Short says despite Thursday night's horrific crime, RTD has done a lot to ensure the safety of their operators and passengers.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of horrific
Adjective
  • Losing to the Tampa Bay Bucs starting an undrafted rookie quarterback was awful, and gagging the home game in overtime to the Awful Arizona Cardinals was worse; coming back in the fourth quarter to beat the Colts is almost just as bad.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Nov. 2026
  • The only sign his group was listening to the awful things their friend/boss/son was being accused of was the very active facial expressions of Brand’s wife, Laura.
    — Luke Jones, Vanity Fair, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of awful
Adjective
  • Nearby residents have argued that the large apartment complex will be a poor fit for their neighborhood, citing concerns about traffic congestion and fire department access, among other things.
    — Barbara Henry, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Nov. 2026
  • The Lions’ high-flying offense is at its best on turf, not nearly as fast on grass, and their poor red zone defense has been an issue.
    — Hank Gola, New York Daily News, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of poor
Adjective
  • The blistering one-way run is strangely terrifying from the near silent cockpit as the highway lamps flash past.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 11 Nov. 2026
  • In Lima, and especially in the regions, terrifying scenes unfolded outside hospitals, with sick people collapsing in the street due to the shortage of oxygen, one of the key tools for treating the virus.
    — Claudia Rebaza, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of terrifying
Adjective
  • Highly dependent on capital intensive deployments and leveraged financing, these firms must bring data centers online quickly to service debt with compute revenue and sustain operations.
    — , CNBC, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Google said the Wyoming facility will use air cooling to reduce pressure on local water resources, rather than relying on water-intensive cooling systems.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of intensive
Adjective
  • Less than four minutes into the game, Apple Valley senior fullback Joseph Lopez suffered a gruesome leg injury and the game was delayed about 30 minutes for the medical response and on-field treatment.
    — Dan Arritt, Oc Register, 7 Nov. 2026
  • In his Address at Gettysburg, President Lincoln transformed a gruesome battle into the raison d’être of a truly United States that for the first time in its history became a union.
    — Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of gruesome

Phrases Containing terrible

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terrestrial
terrible
terribleness
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Cite this Entry

“Terrible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrible. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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