/ ˈterəbl; NAmE / adjective
1.
very unpleasant; making you feel very unhappy, upset or frightened :
a terrible experience
What terrible news!
I've just had a terrible thought.
2.
causing great harm or injury; very serious :
a terrible accident
He had suffered terrible injuries.
3.
[ not before noun ] unhappy or ill / sick :
I feel terrible—I think I'll go to bed.
4.
( informal ) of very bad quality; very bad :
a terrible meal
Your driving is terrible!
5.
[ only before noun ] used to show the great extent or degree of sth bad :
a terrible mistake
to be in terrible pain
The room was in a terrible mess.
( informal )
I had a terrible job (= it was very difficult) to persuade her to come.
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SYNONYMS
terrible
awful ♦ horrible ♦ dreadful ♦ vile ♦ foul
These words all describe sth that is very unpleasant.
terrible
very bad or unpleasant; making you feel unhappy, frightened, upset, ill, guilty or disapproving:
What terrible news!
•
That's a terrible thing to say!
awful
( rather informal ) very bad or unpleasant; used to describe sth that you do not like or that makes you feel depressed, ill, guilty or disapproving:
That's an awful colour.
•
The weather last summer was awful.
horrible
( rather informal ) very unpleasant; used to describe sth that you do not like:
The coffee tasted horrible.
dreadful
( rather informal , especially BrE ) very bad or unpleasant; used to describe sth that you do not like or that you disapprove of:
What dreadful weather!
vile
( informal ) extremely bad or unpleasant:
There was a vile smell coming from the room.
•
He was in a vile mood.
foul
( informal especially BrE ) extremely bad or unpleasant:
This tastes foul.
vile or foul?
Both these words can be used in informal language to describe the weather, things that affect the senses, and people being in a bad mood. Foul is used to describe things that are dirty, smell bad, and may carry disease.
PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS :
terrible / awful / horrible / dreadful for sb
to be / sound terrible / awful / horrible / dreadful / vile / foul
to look / smell / taste terrible / awful / horrible / dreadful / vile / foul
a(n) terrible / awful / horrible / dreadful / vile / foul thing
a(n) terrible / awful / horrible / dreadful / vile / foul smell / taste / mood
terrible / awful / horrible / dreadful / vile / foul weather / conditions
terrible / awful / horrible / dreadful news
really / absolutely / pretty / rather terrible / awful / horrible / dreadful / vile / foul
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (in the sense causing terror ): via French from Latin terribilis , from terrere frighten.