terrible
adjective
ter·ri·ble
ˈter-ə-bəl 
ˈte-rə-
1
: extremely bad: such as
a
: notably unattractive or objectionable
terrible behavior
b
: of very poor quality
a terrible movie
c
: strongly repulsive : obnoxious
a terrible smell
2
a
: difficult
in a terrible bind
b
: formidable in nature : awesome
a terrible responsibility
c
: exciting extreme alarm or intense fear : terrifying
terribleness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of terrible in a Sentence
Traffic was held up by a terrible accident.
I have a terrible cold.
The service at that restaurant is terrible.
Recent Examples on the Web
Captured by Polish border guards, Leila, Amina, and the others are shoved across the border into Belarus again, setting a terrible cycle in motion.
—
Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 22 June 2024
But Jax, whose loose guardianship comes with lessons in five-finger discounts, is only trying to keep Roki from a terrible possibility.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2024
But Lin soon realizes that the King is gripped by an ancient, terrible magic that both attracts and repels her.
—EW.com, 20 June 2024
While there has been terrible suffering on both sides, the scale of physical destruction, and the number of civilian casualties, have been far greater in Gaza.
—Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for terrible 
Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 22 June 2024
But Jax, whose loose guardianship comes with lessons in five-finger discounts, is only trying to keep Roki from a terrible possibility.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2024
But Lin soon realizes that the King is gripped by an ancient, terrible magic that both attracts and repels her.
—EW.com, 20 June 2024
While there has been terrible suffering on both sides, the scale of physical destruction, and the number of civilian casualties, have been far greater in Gaza.
—Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for terrible
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'terrible.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near terrible
Cite this Entry
“Terrible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/terrible. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
terrible
adjective
ter·ri·ble
ˈter-ə-bəl
2
a
: very great in degree
made a terrible mess
a terrible cold
b
: very bad in quality
terrible music
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