18 Other Ways to Say Terrible (With Examples)

You probably use the word terrible a lot, but did you know there are many other ways to say it? Using different words can make your speaking and writing more interesting. You can show your feelings better and sound more natural. In this article, you will learn 18 other ways to say terrible with examples. These words are easy to understand and use, so you can start practicing them today to sound more expressive.

18 Other Ways to Say Terrible: Synonyms Terrible (With Examples)

Awful

Awful is one of the easiest words to use instead of terrible. You can say it about anything bad, like food, weather, or situations. It shows strong dislike or unhappiness about something. People understand it instantly, and it is very common in daily talking. Using awful instead of terrible makes your sentences feel natural and clear. You can also use it to describe events, experiences, or things that really disappointed you in simple words.

The movie was awful and boring
This weather is awful today
I had an awful headache yesterday
The food at that place was awful
His behavior was awful at the party
That test was awful and very hard

Bad

Bad is very simple and easy to use. You can use it in almost any situation where something is not good. It works for people, things, events, or feelings. Using bad instead of terrible keeps your sentence short and clear. It is very common in speaking and writing, so everyone will understand you. Bad can also be used in casual talking with friends or describing mistakes, accidents, or poor performance without sounding complicated or strange.

The coffee tastes bad today
He made a bad decision yesterday
That was a bad experience for me
The service in the shop was bad
I feel bad about missing the meeting
The weather looks bad this morning

Horrible

Horrible is stronger than bad and shows strong dislike. You can use it when something is really shocking or unpleasant. It works for feelings, situations, or things that make you uncomfortable. Using horrible instead of terrible helps you show your strong reaction clearly. People can imagine exactly how you felt. This word is very flexible and works in storytelling or describing a serious problem in life in an easy way that everyone can understand.

The accident was horrible and scary
She had a horrible day at work
The smell in the room was horrible
I had a horrible nightmare last night
His comments were horrible and rude
The traffic jam was horrible today

Dreadful

Dreadful is a word that shows strong fear or dislike. You can use it for things that are very unpleasant or uncomfortable. It works for situations, people, or events that you really do not like. Using dreadful instead of terrible makes your sentences feel a little formal but still easy to understand. It helps you describe bad experiences in a clear way and shows your emotion without needing extra words. You can use it in talking or writing comfortably.

The food at that restaurant was dreadful
She had a dreadful headache yesterday
The news was dreadful and sad
It was a dreadful mistake to ignore advice
The weather turned dreadful quickly
His acting in the play was dreadful

Rotten

Rotten is usually used for food but can also describe situations or people. It shows something is very bad or unpleasant. Using rotten instead of terrible gives a strong sense of dislike. You can describe smells, feelings, or actions as rotten. People immediately understand that it is negative. Rotten works in casual talking and writing to make your description more colorful. You can also use it for mistakes, behavior, or problems that are very bad.

The fruit is rotten and cannot eat
His attitude was rotten today
The plan was rotten and failed
The milk went rotten in the fridge
I had a rotten experience at school
That comment was rotten and rude

Nasty

Nasty is simple and shows something is very unpleasant or mean. You can use it for people, situations, or things that upset you. Using nasty instead of terrible makes your sentence sound clear and strong. It works in casual talking and writing. Nasty can also describe smells, feelings, or bad behavior. It is very easy to remember and use. People will understand exactly what you mean without needing more explanation.

The dog is nasty and bites easily
She said a nasty comment to him
The weather is nasty and cold
I had a nasty headache yesterday
That movie had a nasty scene
The food in that restaurant was nasty

Lousy

Lousy is very common in talking and means really bad or unpleasant. You can use it for experiences, events, or things that are not good. Using lousy instead of terrible makes your sentence casual and easy. It works with friends, family, or in writing to describe disappointment. Lousy can also describe mistakes or feelings when something goes wrong. People will understand your meaning quickly because it is simple and widely used in everyday conversation.

I feel lousy after the long day
The show was lousy and boring
He had a lousy performance at work
That was a lousy idea to try
The weather was lousy yesterday
I had a lousy breakfast this morning

Poor

Poor is easy to use and shows low quality or bad performance. You can use it for things, work, or results that are not good. Using poor instead of terrible makes your sentence short and clear. It works in school, work, or talking about experiences. Poor can also describe feelings when something disappoints you. It is simple to remember and helps you explain situations or objects without complicated words or long explanations.

The results were poor this time
He had poor health last year
The service was poor at the hotel
I did a poor job on the project
The weather conditions were poor
She gave a poor performance in the play

Ugly

Ugly is often used for looks but can describe situations too. It shows something is unpleasant or very bad. Using ugly instead of terrible makes your sentence clear and strong. It can describe feelings, experiences, or objects that are very unpleasant. Ugly works in talking or writing when you want to express dislike clearly. People understand it easily, and it helps make your language more expressive without using complicated words or phrases to explain bad things.

The house looks ugly after the fire
That was an ugly argument yesterday
The weather turned ugly fast
He made an ugly face at me
The situation became ugly quickly
The painting looked ugly on the wall

Miserable

Miserable shows strong unhappiness or suffering. You can use it for feelings, situations, or experiences that are very bad. Using miserable instead of terrible helps you explain how unhappy or uncomfortable you are. It works in talking, writing, or storytelling. Miserable can describe weather, health, days, or moods. It is easy to use and makes your expression more clear. People can imagine exactly how bad the situation feels when you use miserable properly.

I felt miserable after losing the game
She had a miserable day at school
The weather made me feel miserable
He looked miserable at the party
The movie left me feeling miserable
That food made me feel miserable

Frightful

Frightful shows fear or strong dislike. You can use it for experiences, people, or events that scare or upset you. Using frightful instead of terrible makes your description strong and clear. It works in talking and writing to explain bad situations. Frightful can also describe mistakes, accidents, or bad news. It is simple and easy to remember. People will feel the seriousness of your experience when you use frightful in your sentences properly.

The storm was frightful last night
He told a frightful story
The accident was frightful and scary
I had a frightful headache yesterday
The movie had frightful scenes
Her behavior was frightful at work

Unpleasant

Unpleasant shows something is not nice or comfortable. You can use it for experiences, feelings, or situations. Using unpleasant instead of terrible helps you explain your dislike politely. It works well in school, work, or social talking. Unpleasant can describe food, people, weather, or events. It is simple and easy to use. People will understand your meaning quickly without confusion. Using unpleasant makes your language polite but strong in meaning.

The smell in the room was unpleasant
She had an unpleasant experience at school
The weather turned unpleasant quickly
That was an unpleasant surprise
His behavior was unpleasant yesterday
The food tasted unpleasant today

Atrocious

Atrocious shows very strong dislike or bad quality. You can use it for experiences, work, or situations that are extremely bad. Using atrocious instead of terrible makes your sentence strong and clear. It works in formal or casual talking. Atrocious can also describe mistakes, behavior, or conditions. People will understand exactly how bad you think something is. Using atrocious makes your sentences more powerful while keeping words simple and easy.

The service at the hotel was atrocious
He made an atrocious mistake
The food was atrocious last night
That was an atrocious performance
The conditions in the room were atrocious
The movie had atrocious acting

Abysmal

Abysmal shows something is very bad or low quality. You can use it for experiences, work, or situations that are disappointing. Using abysmal instead of terrible makes your sentence clear and strong. It works in talking or writing to describe failure or poor results. Abysmal is easy to remember and helps you express frustration. People can understand your feelings quickly. Using abysmal adds variety to your words while keeping it simple.

The exam results were abysmal
He did an abysmal job at work
The service in the shop was abysmal
The weather conditions were abysmal
The meal tasted abysmal yesterday
That was an abysmal mistake

Shocking

Shocking shows surprise and strong dislike at the same time. You can use it for news, actions, or events that are very bad. Using shocking instead of terrible makes your sentence clear and expressive. It works in talking or writing to describe emotions and reactions. Shocking can also describe behavior, accidents, or experiences. People will feel the seriousness of what happened. Using shocking helps make your sentences interesting while keeping words very simple.

The news was shocking yesterday
His behavior was shocking at school
The accident was shocking and scary
I had a shocking experience
The results were shocking to everyone
That was a shocking mistake

Disgusting

Disgusting shows strong dislike or feeling of being grossed out. You can use it for food, behavior, or situations. Using disgusting instead of terrible helps your sentence sound strong and clear. It works in talking and writing to explain strong negative feelings. Disgusting is easy to remember and very expressive. People can understand your feelings immediately. Using disgusting makes your descriptions more colorful and helps show exactly how bad you feel about something.

The food looked disgusting on the plate
His attitude was disgusting at the meeting
The smell in the room was disgusting
That was a disgusting scene in the movie
The behavior was disgusting yesterday
I found the water disgusting

Ghastly

Ghastly shows something is very bad or unpleasant. You can use it for events, people, or experiences that upset you. Using ghastly instead of terrible makes your sentence strong and clear. It works in storytelling, talking, or writing. Ghastly can also describe mistakes, accidents, or moods. People will understand your strong feelings. Ghastly is easy to use and helps make your descriptions more vivid without using complicated words, so everyone can follow your meaning easily.

The weather was ghastly last night
He made a ghastly mistake at work
The food tasted ghastly yesterday
The room looked ghastly and dirty
That was a ghastly accident
Her behavior was ghastly at the party

Crummy

Crummy shows something is very poor or disappointing. You can use it for situations, things, or experiences that are not good. Using crummy instead of terrible keeps your sentence casual and easy. It works in talking or writing to explain simple feelings of dislike. Crummy is easy to remember and use with friends or family. People will understand immediately. Using crummy makes your language more natural while keeping words simple and clear for everyone.

I had a crummy day at school
The movie was crummy and boring
His performance was crummy yesterday
The food tasted crummy last night
That was a crummy experience
The weather is crummy today

Final Thoughts

I hope this list of 18 other ways to say terrible helps you express yourself better. You can choose words based on situations, feelings, or people. Using different words makes your sentences more interesting and clear. Practicing them will help you sound confident and natural. You can mix them in talking, writing, or storytelling to show exactly how you feel. These words are simple, easy to use, and effective for daily life and communication.