Top 33 Slang For Terrible – Meaning & Usage

Terrible situations and experiences are a part of life, and sometimes finding the right words to describe them can be a challenge. Well, fear not! We’ve got you covered with our top list of slang for terrible. From cringeworthy to dumpster fire, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list that will have you expressing your frustrations in no time. So buckle up and get ready to upgrade your vocabulary with these epic slang terms!

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1. Awful

This word is used to describe something that is of very poor quality or is extremely unpleasant.

  • For example, “The food at that restaurant was awful. I couldn’t even finish my meal.”
  • A person might say, “I had an awful day at work. Everything went wrong.”
  • Another might comment, “The weather today is awful. It’s raining non-stop.”

2. Horrible

This word is used to describe something that is causing a great deal of discomfort, unhappiness, or distress.

  • For instance, “I had a horrible nightmare last night. It was so scary.”
  • Someone might say, “The traffic was horrible this morning. It took me twice as long to get to work.”
  • Another might comment, “That movie was horrible. I couldn’t stand it.”

3. Terrible

This word is used to describe something that is of very poor quality, is extremely bad, or is causing a great deal of distress or discomfort.

  • For example, “The service at that restaurant was terrible. The waitstaff was rude and unhelpful.”
  • A person might say, “I had a terrible headache all day. It was throbbing and wouldn’t go away.”
  • Another might comment, “The news about the accident is terrible. My thoughts are with the victims and their families.”

4. Dreadful

This word is used to describe something that is causing fear, apprehension, or extreme discomfort.

  • For instance, “I had a dreadful experience at the dentist. The procedure was painful and lasted for hours.”
  • Someone might say, “The weather forecast for tomorrow is dreadful. They’re predicting a major snowstorm.”
  • Another might comment, “The smell in the room was dreadful. It was so overpowering and nauseating.”

5. Atrocious

This word is used to describe something that is shockingly bad or of very poor quality.

  • For example, “The acting in that play was atrocious. It was so amateurish and cringe-worthy.”
  • A person might say, “The traffic in the city during rush hour is atrocious. It’s gridlocked and takes forever to get anywhere.”
  • Another might comment, “The customer service at that store was atrocious. The employees were rude and unhelpful.”

6. Abysmal

This word describes something that is extremely bad or of very poor quality. It emphasizes the idea of something being at the lowest possible level.

  • For example, “The performance of the team was abysmal, losing by a score of 10-0.”
  • A movie critic might say, “The acting in this film was abysmal, with wooden performances and no emotional depth.”
  • A disappointed customer might write, “The service at this restaurant was abysmal, with slow and rude waitstaff.”

7. Lousy

This term is used to describe something that is of very poor quality or extremely bad. It conveys a strong sense of disappointment or dissatisfaction.

  • For instance, “I had a lousy day at work, with everything going wrong.”
  • A person might complain, “The food at that restaurant was lousy, with tasteless dishes and overcooked meat.”
  • A student might say, “I got a lousy grade on my test, even though I studied for hours.”

8. Crappy

This slang word is used to describe something that is of very poor quality or extremely bad. It is a more informal and casual way of expressing dissatisfaction.

  • For example, “I bought a crappy phone that keeps freezing and is slow.”
  • A person might say, “The weather today is crappy, with rain and strong winds.”
  • A customer might complain, “The service at this store is crappy, with unhelpful staff and long wait times.”

9. Rotten

This term is used to describe something that is of very poor quality or extremely bad. It conveys a sense of disgust or disappointment.

  • For instance, “I watched a rotten movie last night, with a confusing plot and terrible acting.”
  • A person might say, “The smell in this room is rotten, like something is decaying.”
  • A customer might complain, “The food at this restaurant is rotten, with stale ingredients and undercooked dishes.”

10. Trash

This slang word is used to describe something that is of very poor quality or extremely bad. It implies that the thing being described is worthless or not worth anyone’s time.

  • For example, “The song they played at the party was absolute trash.”
  • A person might say, “The movie I saw last night was complete trash, with a predictable plot and bad special effects.”
  • A disappointed fan might comment, “The latest album from this artist is just trash, with no originality or creativity.”

11. God-awful

This term emphasizes the extreme terribleness of something. It is often used to describe something that is beyond bad or unpleasant.

  • For example, “That movie was god-awful. I couldn’t even sit through it.”
  • A person might exclaim, “The food at that restaurant was god-awful. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.”
  • Another might say, “The weather today is god-awful. It’s so hot and humid.”

12. Ghastly

This word describes something that is extremely unpleasant or horrifying. It is often used to express strong disapproval or disgust.

  • For instance, “The accident scene was ghastly. It was a terrible sight.”
  • A person might comment, “The smell coming from the dumpster was ghastly. I couldn’t stand it.”
  • Another might say, “The state of the house was ghastly. It was in complete disarray.”

13. Horrendous

This term is used to describe something that is extremely bad, unpleasant, or shocking. It emphasizes the severity of the terribleness.

  • For example, “The traffic was horrendous. It took me hours to get home.”
  • A person might exclaim, “The noise coming from the construction site was horrendous. I couldn’t concentrate on anything.”
  • Another might say, “The service at that restaurant was horrendous. The waiters were rude and slow.”

14. Crummy

This word is used to describe something that is of very poor quality or unsatisfactory. It is often used to express disappointment or dissatisfaction.

  • For instance, “The hotel room was crummy. It was dirty and uncomfortable.”
  • A person might comment, “The food at that restaurant was crummy. It tasted bland and overcooked.”
  • Another might say, “The customer service at that store was crummy. The staff was unhelpful and unfriendly.”

15. Dismal

This term describes something that is depressing, gloomy, or lacking in brightness. It is often used to describe a situation or atmosphere that is sad or hopeless.

  • For example, “The weather forecast for the weekend is dismal. It’s going to rain the whole time.”
  • A person might exclaim, “The job market is dismal right now. It’s hard to find any good opportunities.”
  • Another might say, “The performance of the team was dismal. They lost every game.”

16. Rancid

This word is often used to describe something that is extremely unpleasant or foul, usually referring to food that has gone bad or has a strong, unpleasant smell.

  • For example, “I opened the fridge and was hit with the rancid smell of spoiled milk.”
  • A person might say, “The restaurant served rancid meat, and I couldn’t stomach it.”
  • Another might comment, “The garbage can was overflowing with rancid leftovers.”

17. Shoddy

This word is used to describe something that is of low quality or poorly constructed. It implies that the item is cheaply made and likely to break or not function properly.

  • For instance, “I bought a shoddy pair of shoes that fell apart after a week.”
  • A person might say, “The company’s shoddy craftsmanship resulted in numerous product recalls.”
  • Another might comment, “I had to return the shoddy furniture because it was falling apart.”

18. Miserable

This word is used to describe a state of extreme unhappiness or discomfort. It can refer to a person’s emotional state or the overall condition of a situation.

  • For example, “I had a miserable day at work and just wanted to go home.”
  • A person might say, “The weather was miserable, with nonstop rain for days.”
  • Another might comment, “I felt miserable after hearing the news of a loved one’s passing.”

19. Nasty

This word is used to describe something that is extremely unpleasant or unappealing. It can refer to a person’s behavior, an object, or a situation.

  • For instance, “He made a nasty comment that hurt my feelings.”
  • A person might say, “I found a nasty bug crawling in my salad.”
  • Another might comment, “The public restroom was in a nasty state, with overflowing toilets and a terrible odor.”

20. Disastrous

This word is used to describe something that is extremely bad or has a disastrous outcome. It implies that the situation is filled with chaos, destruction, or failure.

  • For example, “The party was a disastrous event, with fights breaking out and property being damaged.”
  • A person might say, “The project was a disastrous failure, resulting in significant financial losses.”
  • Another might comment, “The storm caused a disastrous flood that destroyed homes and displaced many people.”

21. Foul

This word is often used to describe something that is morally or ethically wrong, or something that is unpleasant or distasteful.

  • For example, “The smell coming from the garbage can was foul.”
  • In a sports context, someone might say, “That was a foul play.”
  • A person might describe a taste as foul, saying, “This food tastes foul.”

22. Unsatisfactory

This word is used to describe something that is not up to standard or does not fulfill what was expected or desired.

  • For instance, a student might say, “My grade on the test was unsatisfactory.”
  • A customer might complain about a product, saying, “The quality of this item is unsatisfactory.”
  • In a performance review, a supervisor might say, “Your work has been consistently unsatisfactory.”

23. Sucky

This informal word is used to describe something that is of poor quality or is not enjoyable.

  • For example, “The movie was really sucky.”
  • A person might say, “I had a sucky day at work.”
  • Someone might express their disappointment by saying, “This is a sucky situation.”

24. Piss-poor

This slang term is used to describe something that is extremely bad or of very poor quality.

  • For instance, “The service at that restaurant was piss-poor.”
  • A person might complain about their performance, saying, “I did a piss-poor job on that project.”
  • Someone might describe a product as piss-poor, saying, “The quality of this item is piss-poor.”

25. Diabolical

This word is used to describe something that is extremely evil, wicked, or cruel.

  • For example, “The villain’s plan was diabolical.”
  • A person might describe a crime as diabolical, saying, “The murder was a diabolical act.”
  • Someone might use this word to describe a difficult puzzle or challenge, saying, “This crossword puzzle is diabolical.”

26. Rotten to the core

This phrase is used to describe something or someone that is extremely bad or morally corrupt.

  • For example, “The politician’s actions were rotten to the core.”
  • When talking about a movie, someone might say, “The acting in that film was rotten to the core.”
  • A person might describe a toxic relationship as “rotten to the core.”
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27. Cringeworthy

This word is used to describe something that is so awkward or embarrassing that it makes you cringe or feel uncomfortable.

  • For instance, “His attempt at singing was cringeworthy.”
  • A person might say, “That joke was so cringeworthy, no one laughed.”
  • When watching a TV show, someone might comment, “The dialogue in this scene is so cringeworthy.”

28. Rank

This term is used to describe something that is disgusting, foul, or of very poor quality.

  • For example, “The smell coming from the garbage can was rank.”
  • A person might say, “I can’t believe you ate that rank sandwich.”
  • When talking about a dirty and messy room, someone might comment, “The place was rank, with clothes and trash everywhere.”

29. Disgusting

This word is used to describe something that is extremely unpleasant, revolting, or repulsive.

  • For instance, “The sight of the rotten food was disgusting.”
  • A person might say, “I find the smell of fish disgusting.”
  • When talking about a disturbing scene in a movie, someone might comment, “That was a really disgusting moment.”

30. Appalling

This term is used to describe something that is shocking, horrifying, or morally repugnant.

  • For example, “The treatment of prisoners was appalling.”
  • A person might say, “The lack of response from the authorities is appalling.”
  • When talking about a terrible crime, someone might comment, “The details of the case are truly appalling.”

31. Woeful

This term is used to describe something that is extremely sad, pitiful, or unfortunate.

  • For example, “The team’s performance was woeful, losing by a landslide.”
  • A person might say, “I had a woeful day at work, everything went wrong.”
  • Another might comment, “The movie received woeful reviews and was a box office flop.”

32. Godawful

This slang term is used to emphasize how terrible or awful something is.

  • For instance, “The food at that restaurant was godawful, I couldn’t even finish my meal.”
  • A person might exclaim, “I had a godawful headache all day, it was unbearable.”
  • Another might say, “The weather was godawful, pouring rain and freezing cold.”

33. Trashy

This term is used to describe something that is of poor quality, lacking class, or in bad taste.

  • For example, “The reality TV show is so trashy, it’s just drama and controversy.”
  • A person might comment, “I can’t believe she wore that trashy outfit to the party.”
  • Another might say, “The neighborhood has become so trashy, with litter everywhere and unkempt yards.”