ひどく・酷く・非道くhidoku[2]nakadaka (mid-high)

1. adverbterribly; awfully; dreadfully; extremely; severely; very (much)

• Synonym甚だはなはだWrittenWritten, solemn 'very', which usually leans negative, as in 「甚だ遺憾」; it shares that slant with 「ひどく」 but sounds more formal.
• Synonym大変たいへんNeutralEveryday 'very', common in speech; it also serves as a na-adjective, 「大変だ」, a use 「ひどく」 does not have.
• SynonymずいぶんNeutral'Considerably, quite', carrying a note of surprise, as in 「ずいぶん遅いね」; it need not be negative.
• Synonym非常にひじょうにNeutralStandard, rather formal 'very', as in 「非常に重要」; neutral, with none of 「ひどく」's negative force.
• Synonym極めてきわめてWrittenFormal written 'extremely', as in 「極めて困難」; objective in tone, without 「ひどく」's negative judgment.
• SynonymたいそうNeutralOld-fashioned 'very' with an exaggerated ring, 「大層喜んだ」; hyperbole rather than the severity of 「ひどく」.
• Synonym誠にまことにFormalFormal and polite 'truly, really, very', as in 「誠に申し訳ない」; an intensifier at home in courteous speech and writing.
• Synonym何ともなんともNeutralWith a negative it means 'not at all', 「何ともない」; with an affirmative it simply intensifies, 「何とも美しい」.
• Synonym大いにおおいにNeutral'Greatly, to a large extent', 「大いに楽しむ」「大いに問題がある」; about amount or degree, not badness.
• Synonym至っていたってWrittenWritten word for 'extremely', in neutral phrases like 「至って健康」「至って普通」; lacks 「ひどく」's negative force.
• SynonymとびきりNeutral'Exceptionally good, the best of its kind', 「とびきりの笑顔」; stresses excellence, not severity.
• SynonymやたらNeutral'Excessively, indiscriminately', 「やたらに多い」; points to careless overdoing and the speaker's displeasure.
• Synonym実にじつにNeutralAnother writing of 「誠に」, read 「まことに」, 'truly'; the common word 「実に（じつに）」 means 'indeed, very'.
• SynonymとてもNeutralThe everyday 'very', the most common choice in speech; with a negative it means 'simply cannot', 「とても無理」.
• SynonymいたくWrittenOld-fashioned written word meaning 'deeply', as in 「痛く感動した」; it stresses depth of feeling, not badness.
• SynonymすこぶるWrittenSomewhat old written word for 'very', often positive, as in 「すこぶる元気」; it lacks 「ひどく」's negative sense.
• Synonym世にもよにもNeutral'As rarely seen in this world', 「世にも奇妙な物語」; stresses rarity, not badness.
• SynonymめっぽうCasualColloquial and old-fashioned, with an Edo-period flavor, 「めっぽう強い」; 'extraordinarily', not the negative force of 「ひどく」.
• SynonymいともNeutral'Extremely', used mostly in the fixed phrases 「いとも簡単に」「いとも容易く」; much narrower in use than 「ひどく」.
• SynonymこよなくNeutral'Incomparably, beyond all else', usually carrying deep affection, as in 「こよなく愛する」.
• SynonymいやにNeutral'Oddly, unpleasantly so', 「いやに静かだ」; flags something unnaturally off, not a high degree of badness.
• SynonymやけにCasualColloquial 'strikingly, unusually', 「やけに暑い」; points out something out of the ordinary rather than bad.
• Related思い切りおもいきりNeutral'To the full, with all one's might', 「思い切り泣く」; about letting go or going all out, not about severity.
• Related最ももっともNeutral'Most', the superlative of comparison, 「最も高い山」; ranks things against each other, unlike 「ひどく」.
• Antonym優しくNeutralAntonym: 'gently', 「優しく叱る」; contrasts with 「ひどく叱る」 in how one scolds.
• Antonym穏やかにNeutralAntonym: 'calmly, mildly', 「穏やかに話す」; contrasts with 「ひどく怒る」 in tone.

Use 「ひどく」 for severe, usually negative degree, as in 「ひどく疲れた」「ひどく怒る」; for a neutral 'very' say 「とても」 or 「非常に」. In formal prose 「極めて」「至って」 are objective, 「甚だ」 suits regrettable matters, and 「誠に」 is the polite 'truly'. In speech 「大変」 and 「随分」 are everyday picks and 「やけに」 flags the unusual. 「やたら」「嫌に」 add displeasure, while 「思い切り」「大いに」 speak of extent and 「最も」 of rank.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. 「ひどい」の連用形れんようけい。