terminally

IPA/ˈtɜː.mɪ.nəl.i/
KK[tˈɚmənəli]IPA/ˈtɝː.mə.nəl.i/

terminally — adverb

1. Used to describe a person who has a disease that doctors cannot cure and that wi

1.副詞B2
釋義

Used to describe a person who has a disease that doctors cannot cure and that will cause death.

例句

Elena's father was diagnosed as terminally ill and given only six months to live.

fixed collocation: terminally ill

The hospice provides comfort and care for people who are terminally ill.

同義詞
  • incurably

    more clinical; focuses on the incurable nature rather than the fatal outcome

  • fatally

    emphasises the outcome of death rather than the ongoing illness

反義詞
  • curably

    very rare; describes an illness that can be treated successfully

文法句型

terminally + ill

用法筆記

This sense is almost always used in the fixed collocation 'terminally ill'. The adverb rarely appears with other adjectives in medical contexts.

常見錯誤

❌She is terminal ill.
✅She is terminally ill.
💡'terminally' is an adverb modifying the adjective 'ill'; 'terminal' is an adjective that goes before a noun, e.g. 'terminal illness'.
❌He has a terminally disease.
✅He has a terminal disease.
💡use the adjective 'terminal' to describe the noun, not the adverb 'terminally'.

2. Used before negative adjectives to emphasise that a person or thing has a bad qu

2.副詞C1
釋義

Used before negative adjectives to emphasise that a person or thing has a bad quality to an extreme degree that seems impossible to change.

例句

Kenji described the three-hour lecture as terminally boring and nearly fell asleep twice.

intensifier before negative adjective: terminally boring

A film critic called the new comedy terminally unfunny and gave it one star.

同義詞
  • hopelessly

    strongly emphasises the sense of no possibility of change

  • utterly

    more neutral in tone; does not carry the idea of permanence

  • incurably

    metaphorical extension from medicine; implies a deep flaw within a person

文法句型

terminally + negative adjective

用法筆記

Typically used with negative personal adjectives such as boring, stupid, dull, or annoying. The tone is often humorous, sarcastic, or expressively critical.

常見錯誤

❌The movie was terminally good.
✅The movie was terminally boring.
💡this sense is only used with negative or undesirable qualities, not positive ones.
❌She terminally complained.
✅She was terminally annoying.
💡'terminally' modifies adjectives, not verbs.