Which to use
“terrible” is an adjective and “terribles” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #2,496
- “terrible” frequency rank
- #9,753
- “terribles” frequency rank
- 12249
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | terrible | terribles |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Qui cause de la terreur ; qui est propre à donner de la terreur. | Pluriel de terrible. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set terrible and terribles apart are highlighted. They share 8 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
Say them out loud and nothing separates them: terrible and terribles carry the same recorded pronunciation, \tɛ.ʁibl\. Grammar is what tells them apart: one is anadjective, the other anoun, so most sentences will only accept one of them. They differ by 1 extra letter(s) - “terrible” sits inside “terribles”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 12249, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
terrible is recorded at frequency rank #2,496, classified as anadj, pronounced \tɛ.ʁibl\. terribles is at rank #9,753, tagged as anoun, pronounced \tɛ.ʁibl\.
Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.
With a confusion score of 12249, this pair ranks #406,021 of 440,172 scored French confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of terrible vs terribles
Shared letters: beilrt. Private to "terrible": -. Private to "terribles": s.
"terrible" · 8 letters · shape CVCCVCCV · "terribles" · 9 letters · shape CVCCVCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "terrible" and "terribles" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "terrible" or "terribles"?
Remembering terrible vs terribles
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need an adjective, it's “terrible”; for a noun, it's “terribles”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “terrible” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable