We were trying to pay off our debts but it was a hopeless situation.
He was given the almost hopeless task of trying to negotiate a ceasefire.
diabolicalBritish EnglishBrE extremely bad – used to express great disapproval of an action or event
The prices are diabolical.
a diabolical waste of money
McAndrew gave a diabolical performance on Saturday.
nGrammar
Terrible is not used with ‘very’. You say:
I feel absolutely terrible today.
✗Don’t say: I feel very terrible today.
Examples from the Corpus
terrible• The movie was terrible.• a terribleaccident• He says it's terrible, because the aircraft has such a good safetyrecord.• Students like Andrea are caught in a terriblebind.• I have a terribleheadache.• The attitude they have towards you is terrible, like you're lower than the dirt they tread on.• Yet beyond the immediate and terriblelossessuffered, the fire had lasting consequences for the lives of Californians.• It is hard to believe that you will be able to make something happen to get you out of this terriblemess.• I was withdrawing from drugs and in a terrible state.• He had some idea of what was ahead of him, for he knew the terribletales about the Robemaker's Workshops.
Originterrible
(1300-1400)Old FrenchLatinterribilis, from terrere“to frighten”