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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in awful
extremely unsatisfactory
this nonfat ice cream is terrible
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
This winter, a bigger group of players, led by captain Aaron Judge, returned even earlier with thoughts of revenge following a terrible 4-1 loss in the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers, several of whom spent the offseason talking smack about them.
—
Brendan Kuty, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025
There have been plenty of terrible Oscar hosts over the years but this was a car crash that could easily have been avoided.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 15 Feb. 2025
Secrets bob to the surface like drowning victims from the deep until nobody — not even the reader — can easily separate the terrible truth from even more terrible fictions.
—M.l. Rio, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025
At the time, Russian President Vladimir Putin surely had an inkling that his invasion would probably have a terrible impact on Russia's future Olympic aspirations, said Mietek Boduszyński, who teaches U.S. foreign policy at Pomona College in Claremont, California.
—David K. Li, NBC News, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for terrible
Brendan Kuty, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025
There have been plenty of terrible Oscar hosts over the years but this was a car crash that could easily have been avoided.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 15 Feb. 2025
Secrets bob to the surface like drowning victims from the deep until nobody — not even the reader — can easily separate the terrible truth from even more terrible fictions.
—M.l. Rio, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025
At the time, Russian President Vladimir Putin surely had an inkling that his invasion would probably have a terrible impact on Russia's future Olympic aspirations, said Mietek Boduszyński, who teaches U.S. foreign policy at Pomona College in Claremont, California.
—David K. Li, NBC News, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for terrible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrible
Adjective
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There are so many horrible things happening in the world.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
18 Feb. 2025
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Still, a light at the end of this very horrible long tunnel might be a bit more visible at this time.—
Greg Palkot,
Fox News,
15 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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In the background of a Gaza ceasefire, Israel has steadily escalated an intense military operation in Palestinian cities in the West Bank, killing dozens and displacing tens of thousands of residents.—
Mick Krever,
CNN,
24 Feb. 2025
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This is a performance that entwines intense physicality with simmering determination, and a sense of humor.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
TIME,
24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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On the left, contemporary progressives have denounced the original progressive for his horrific opinions of black Americans.—
Christian Schneider,
National Review,
20 Feb. 2025
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Once the fighting stops the horrific Russian losses of men and machines become daily additions to the armed forces.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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For a large part, the Heat’s supporting pieces have been awful this season.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
25 Feb. 2025
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Hollywood continued to celebrate the fearless first responders who worked to save lives and property during the awful Los Angeles wildfires last month.—
Erik Pedersen,
Deadline,
23 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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And another research team, using data from 2015 to 2022, observed in an article available in Energy Research and Social Science that poor income distribution correlates with social unrest when fossil fuel subsidies are removed.—
Aldo Flores-Quiroga,
Forbes,
1 Mar. 2025
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Federal workers got commendations, awards, positive reviews – and then were fired for 'poor performance' Taxes are coming.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA TODAY,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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His first book, Dark Days vividly and unflinchingly chronicled his terrifying experience being jailed on charges of manslaughter (he was acquitted on all counts).—
Bill Kopp,
SPIN,
20 Feb. 2025
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For those who have watched DOGE storm into their workplace, what is perhaps most terrifying is its attempts to scale.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
19 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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In particular, teams deploying fiber-optic drones that send and receive signals via millimeters-thick wires rather than via radio—a method of control that helps the operators circumvent intensive Ukrainian radio jamming.—
David Axe,
Forbes,
19 Feb. 2025
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The Shooting Stars award ceremony, held during the Berlin Film Festival, is the festive highlight and closing event of an intensive four-day program where the actors meet international casting directors and are presented to the international press.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
18 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The gruesome murder occurred after an argument about fraudulent credit card charges, prosecutors said.—
Muri Assunção,
New York Daily News,
20 Feb. 2025
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Over everything hovers the gruesome mystery of birth, that unnerving manifestation of female destiny by which a small person is formed within a larger one and bursts out like the alien in Alien.—
Stephanie Bunbury,
Deadline,
18 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Terrible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrible. Accessed 5 Mar. 2025.
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