1
as in horrible
causing fear
a terrible nightmare that woke me up
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
I have a terrible headache
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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5
as in poor
of low quality
manufactures terrible clothes that often tear after a single wash
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of terrible
Parents will be especially alarmed and this will place terrible burdens on pediatricians who will need to assuage their worries in order to provide important protections against serious and sometimes fatal diseases.
—
Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
Rob Gronkowski apparently has a terrible memory.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 12 Sep. 2025
Mike McDaniel’s team looked terrible on both sides of the ball.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Sep. 2025
These are the kinds of terrible questions assassins always raise.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for terrible
Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
Rob Gronkowski apparently has a terrible memory.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 12 Sep. 2025
Mike McDaniel’s team looked terrible on both sides of the ball.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Sep. 2025
These are the kinds of terrible questions assassins always raise.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for terrible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrible
Adjective
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Can a horrible 17-year-old turn into a 31-year-old person with integrity and empathy?—
R. Eric Thomas,
Mercury News,
16 Sep. 2025
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Can a 17-year-old horrible person turn into a 31-year-old person with integrity and empathy?—
R. Eric Thomas,
Denver Post,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Pyongyang has continued to exercise significant control over the population and severely restrict the rights and freedoms of its population, and that has only gotten more intense over the last decade.—
Mike Brest,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
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This question — which strikes at the heart of a perennial issue in American politics, frequently reignited by recurring mass shootings — sparked an intense partisan divide.—
Brendan Rascius,
Miami Herald,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Right-wing politicians have long used horrific crime stories – particularly those featuring Black suspects and White victims – to make broader criticisms of Democrats as soft on crime.—
Wesley Bruer,
CNN Money,
10 Sep. 2025
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The surveillance footage of the horrific attack was released by the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) over the weekend, FOX News reported.—
Christine Pelisek,
People.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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But one other thing Reclaim does is show just how awful the Portal system is.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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How the Dolphins grow from such an awful performance will be paramount.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Cutting carbs entirely can raise the risk of cholesterol, kidney stones, poor bone health, gut problems, and even cancer, added Stefanki.—
Caitlin Pagán,
Verywell Health,
11 Sep. 2025
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Before Wednesday’s game, people within the organization were optimistic about Helsley putting his tipping problem and overall poor pitching behind him, pointing to a clean inning Monday.—
Will Sammon,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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These shifting climates intimately shaped the biosphere over this span (and vice versa), and in occasional terrifying pulses, threatened to end it.—
Peter Brannen,
Quanta Magazine,
15 Sep. 2025
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That was a terrifying last four days.—
Marina Watts,
PEOPLE,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Advertisement The flurry of updates came three days after Robinson was arrested following an intensive hunt for Kirk's killer.—
Richard Hall,
Time,
14 Sep. 2025
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Doing this requires massive system level integration and is resource intensive.—
Thomas Coughlin,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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But everything changes when a string of gruesome killings—which grow increasingly bizarre, with victims covered in rashes and found in deranged, violent states—involves his young daughter Hyo-jin (Kim Hwan-hee).—
Travis Bean,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
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TikTok prohibits gory, gruesome or extremely violent clips.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
13 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Terrible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrible. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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