Cool MateExtremely vs Really vs Terribly
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Extremely
Really
Terribly
| Extremely | Really | Terribly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ɪkˈstriːmli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɪkˈstriːmli/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈriːəli//ˈrɪəli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈriːəli/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈterəbli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈterəbli/"]/ |
| Meaning | Very much; to a very high degree. | very or truly | Very badly or extremely. |
| Example | She was extremely happy about her exam results. | I really enjoy going to the beach. | I'm terribly sorry—did I hurt you? |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | A2 | A1 | B2 |
| Part of speech | adverb | adverb | adverb |
| Collocations | extremely happy, extremely difficult, extremely important, extremely cold, extremely fast | really want, really good, really sure, really excited, really important | terribly wrong, terribly sorry, terribly afraid, terribly upset |
| Antonyms | slightly, moderately | seldom, never | wonderfully, fantastically, nicely |
| Common mistakes | Using 'extremely' with nouns, e.g., 'extremely happy person' instead of 'extremely happy'., Confusing 'extremely' with similar adverbs like 'really' for less intense expressions., Placing 'extremely' incorrectly in a sentence, altering the meaning. | Using it in place of 'real' when describing a noun., Confusing it with 'really' in terms of degree, e.g., 'really good' instead of 'very good'. | Using 'terribly' with positive contexts (e.g., 'terribly good' instead of 'really good')., Confusing 'terribly' with 'terrific' which has the opposite meaning., Omitting it when making a strong negative statement. |
| Usage notes | Use 'extremely' to emphasize adjectives or adverbs. Appropriate in both spoken and written English, but avoid in casual contexts where simpler terms like 'really' may suffice. | Used to emphasize an adjective or another adverb. It can be informal in casual conversations but is accepted in most contexts; avoid overusing it in formal writing. | Use 'terribly' to emphasize a negative situation or quality. It's common in both spoken and written English but avoid in formal contexts. For example, 'I felt terribly tired.' |
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Frequently asked questions: Extremely vs Really vs Terribly
What's the difference between Extremely, Really, and Terribly?
Extremely: Very much; to a very high degree. Really: very or truly Terribly: Very badly or extremely.
Which is more advanced: Extremely, Really, and Terribly?
Terribly is the highest level, at B2, on the CEFR scale.
Are Extremely, Really, and Terribly the same CEFR level?
Extremely: A2, Really: A1, Terribly: B2 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are Extremely, Really, and Terribly?
Extremely: adverb, Really: adverb, Terribly: adverb.
Can you show an example of each?
Extremely: She was extremely happy about her exam results. Really: I really enjoy going to the beach. Terribly: I'm terribly sorry—did I hurt you?
Can I use Extremely, Really, and Terribly interchangeably?
Not always. Extremely, Really, and Terribly are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.