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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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
That’s a terrible, that’s a loser mentality and way to look at it.
—
David Ubben, New York Times, 27 May 2026
Callari and Biederman, who voted for the terrible high-rise and the pay raise, are term-limited and can’t run.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 27 May 2026
The terrible decision rightfully earned rebukes from the American Academy of Pediatrics and many public health advocates.
—Leana S. Wen, Washington Post, 26 May 2026
Mayor and Governor are terrible.
—Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for terrible
David Ubben, New York Times, 27 May 2026
Callari and Biederman, who voted for the terrible high-rise and the pay raise, are term-limited and can’t run.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 27 May 2026
The terrible decision rightfully earned rebukes from the American Academy of Pediatrics and many public health advocates.
—Leana S. Wen, Washington Post, 26 May 2026
Mayor and Governor are terrible.
—Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for terrible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrible
Adjective
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The concept that menopause is this horrible phase of life goes back some time.—
Torie Bosch,
STAT,
23 May 2026
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Despite Christophe’s many efforts to escape his origins, Clichy never portrays his home front as a horrible place, but rather as a loving household torn apart by financial worry and alcoholism.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
22 May 2026
Adjective
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But today’s wars of words seem designed to fuel intense polarization, not to change minds.—
Lisa Pavia-Higel,
The Conversation,
27 May 2026
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Big tech giants including Microsoft, Google, and Amazon have prioritized growing their chips business to rely less on AI chipmaker Nvidia, who reported a strong first quarter last week, even as competition is getting more intense from rivals including Advanced Micro Devices and Broadcom.—
John Kell,
Fortune,
27 May 2026
Adjective
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This season has been horrific for Wolverhampton Wanderers.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
25 May 2026
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Padgen, a part of the Tuesday squad, said volunteers typically show up the same day every week and spend about seven hours together, making each squad incredibly close and giving veterans, especially those who have lived through horrific combat, a place to feel understood.—
Addison Wright,
Chicago Tribune,
24 May 2026
Adjective
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Some predict ‘awful consequences’ However, the US has its own specialized network of hospitals that are highly equipped to treat Ebola patients that some experts say would be much better utilized.—
Jamie Gumbrecht,
CNN Money,
27 May 2026
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Lean says the experience had an awful effect on him, filling him with shame and a reluctance to direct again.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
27 May 2026
Adjective
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At this point the Red Sox are in serious danger, and the only reason the club is even within striking distance of a playoff spot is because the rest of the American League has been so poor.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
27 May 2026
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Putumayo is one of Colombia’s poorest and most troubled regions.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
Adjective
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For Orlo Vista residents, the disaster unfolded with terrifying speed.—
Greg Bennett,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 May 2026
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Nicholls opened Rockwater not long after Cyclone Pam, a terrifying storm that churned through Vanuatu and inflicted $600 million in damage.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2026
Adjective
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For Paul, dragging long sheets of metal was intensive.—
Tabitha Parent,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
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Distillation is a process in which a small, less resource-intensive model learns to mimic a large, expensive one.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
28 May 2026
Adjective
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With Chubb and Phillips still on the mend from gruesome injuries the year prior, the then-rookie was thought to be the heir apparent.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
28 May 2026
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The case has been widely reported by China’s heavily state censored media for the gruesome details of how Xu plotted the murder.—
Sylvie Zhuang,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Terrible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrible. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
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