awfully
word · lemma: awful
/ˈɑfɫi/
AW-flee
/ˈɔːfəli/
AW-fuh-lee
Definition
Used as an adverb to mean 'very' or 'extremely,' especially in informal English. In some contexts, it can also keep a stronger sense closer to 'badly' or 'in a terrible way.'
Usage & Nuances
Most often, awfully simply means 'very': 'awfully nice,' 'awfully hard.' This use sounds a bit old-fashioned or especially polite in some varieties of English. In more literal contexts, it can still mean 'terribly' in a negative sense: 'awfully wrong.'
Spanish: muy - terriblementePortuguese (BR): muito - terrivelmentePortuguese (PT): muito - terrivelmenteChinese (Simplified): 非常 - 很Chinese (Traditional): 非常 - 很Hindi: बहुत - बेहदArabic: جدًا - بشكل فظيعBengali: খুব - অত্যন্ত - ভীষণভাবেRussian: ужасно - оченьJapanese: とても - ひどくVietnamese: rất - cực kỳ - tệ hạiKorean: 정말 - 몹시 - 심하게Turkish: çok - aşırı - fena şekildeUrdu: انتہائی - بے حد - بہت برا طریقے سےIndonesian: sangat - luar biasa - dengan buruk
Example Sentences
That's awfully kind of you.
natural
The baby is awfully quiet today.
basic
I'm awfully sorry.
basic
This bag is awfully heavy.
basic
We arrived awfully late because of traffic.
natural
Something went awfully wrong with the plan.
natural