Is Terrible Adjective Or Adverb? 3 Facts(When, Examples)

Words like distressing, very bad, and awful are used to understand the meaning of the word “terrible”. Let us check if “terrible” can play the role of an adjective or an adverb.

We can undeniably use the word “terrible” as an adjective to show the severity of any act, incident, or situation. We must consider the fact that “terrible” can not be used as an adverb because the adverbial form of the word “terrible” is “terribly”.

Now, we will review some important facts regarding the use of the word “terrible” as an adjective and “terribly” as an adverb.

When is “terrible” an adjective?

We already know that the word “terrible” is an adjective. Let us check when we can use the adjective “terrible” for attribution of a noun or noun equivalent.

We can use the adjective “terrible” to show the level of horrible feelings, frightful nature, hideous sensation, awful feelings of any singular or plural noun, singular or plural pronoun, or singular or plural noun phrase.

Is “terrible” a descriptive adjective?

The adjective “terrible” mainly describes the severity of a noun or noun equivalent. Let us check when we can use “terrible” as a descriptive adjective.

The adjective “terrible” can be used to describe the sincerity or severity of any act, situation, feeling, moment, etc. 

When we can use “terrible” as a descriptive adjective?

We can use “terrible” as a descriptive adjective when we need to show any of the below-listed aspects of any noun.

  • We can use the adjective “terrible” to mark any extreme sadness in any noun or noun equivalent.
  • We can use the adjective “terrible” to mark the severity of any distress to any noun or noun equivalent.
  • We can use the adjective “terrible” to mark the uttermost illness of any noun or noun equivalent.
  • We can use the adjective “terrible” to mark the worst damage to any noun or noun equivalent.
  • We can use the adjective “terrible” to mark a dreadful fear of any noun or noun equivalent.
  • We can use the adjective “terrible” to mark the great capacity of any noun or noun equivalent.

Here are some examples related to the use of the descriptive adjective “terrible,” along with related explanations.

ExampleExplanation
1. Mina told us that she would not be frightened, but she gave a terrible scream as soon as the ghost appeared on the giant screen of the movie display.The adjective “terrible” is used to describe the uttermost fear that Mina felt as soon as she saw the ghost.
2. We are not going to deal with that terrible Sandip, who does not even donate a single rupee for the welfare of others.The adjective “terrible” is in use to describe the proper noun Sandip, who is very miserable.
3. I felt terrible having to deal with my noisy and arrogant boss, who always shouts at the juniors.The adjective “terrible” is used to describe the worst feeling that the speaker is feeling while dealing with his or her boss.
4. I could not have my lunch yesterday because of the terrible food.The adjective “terrible” is in use to describe the food that the speaker had.
5. A terrible police officer came to do an investigation into the theft that had happened in our locality, a conspiracy of some local people.The adjective “terrible” is in use to describe the horrendous theft that happened in the area of the speaker.
Examples of “terrible” as a descriptive adjective

Is “terrible” an adverb?

The meaning of an adjective and an adverb are somehow co-related with each other. Let us check if the word “terrible” is a part of the group of adverbs or not.

The word “terrible” can not play the role of an adverb as there is one different adverbial form of the word “terrible”. The word “terribly” can be marked as the adverbial form of the adjective “terrible”. The adverb “terribly” mainly conveys a manner which has been executed in an extreme manner.

What type of adverb is “terribly”?

The adverb “terribly” can be categorized under the group of “adverbs of degree” in English parts of speech. Adverbs of degree mainly refer to those adverbs which show the level of the execution, act, or performance.

When we can use the adverb “terribly”?

The adverb “terribly” can be used in a sentence when we want to modify any verb, adjective, or other adverb in a way that has been executed or performed in a maximum manner.

A list of examples and explanations related to the use of the adverb “terribly” has been given below.

ExampleExplanation
1. I am terribly exhausted as I have been working since the morning and did not even take a break for five minutes.The adverb “terribly” is used to show the maximum level of tiredness that the speaker is feeling.
2. The river in our village has been extremely flooded with water due to heavy rain since seven days ago.The adverb “terribly” is in use to show the highest water level at the local river due to heavy rainfall.
3. You must have been extremely happy to receive the award for best author in Tamil for the year 2020.The adverb “terribly” is in use to show the ultimate happiness of the addressed person upon receiving the award.
4. You must not be eager to have today’s lunch as new learner Mina is terribly cooking it for all of us.The adverb “terribly” is in use to show the utmost bad cooking of Mina, who is a new learner in the field of cooking.
5. The state level boxer executed his performance terribly at the national showcasing of talent.The adverb “terribly” is used to show the uttermost bad performance of the state level boxer at the talent showcase.
Examples of the adverb “terribly”

Conclusion:

Here is a short note on the “verb” form of the word “terrible,” and that is “terrify,” which is mainly used to frighten someone or if we become scared or frightened by any source, like yesterday’s earthquake in Japan, which terrified me so much that I watched TV all day to get updated news about the same.

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