As a
noun, あまり means 'excess', and refers to an amount of something that is in surplus. This noun is quite often used after many different types of words, to indicate that something happened/exists to an excessive degree (which then resulted in something negative occurring). By itself, 余(あま)り is not negative. However, this grammar point can be thought of as a set phrase that is generally used in negative situations.
To use あまり, you will need to attach it to the end of the following structures. A verb, an
い-Adjective (that has been turned into a noun through the use of さ or み) followed by の, a
な-Adjective followed by な, or a noun followed by の. Then, after あまり, a (B) phrase will highlight what the negative result was.
彼(かれ)は仕事(しごと)を終(お)わらせることに集中(しゅうちゅう)するあまり、終電(しゅうでん)を逃(のが)しました。
He was so concentrated on finishing his work that he missed the last train.
トムは暑(あつ)さのあまり、気(き)を失(うしな)った。
It was so hot that Tom fainted.
彼女(かのじょ)は彼(かれ)と別(わか)れて、悲(かな)しみのあまりボーっとしている。
She broke up with her boyfriend and is so sad that she is spacing out a lot.
彼(かれ)は音楽(おんがく)が好(す)きなあまり、仕事(しごと)を辞(や)めてバンドを作(つく)った。
He likes music so much that he quit his job and started a band.
ヤスエは初(はじ)めてのライブで、緊張(きんちょう)のあまり上手(うま)く歌(うた)えなかった。
Yasue had her first concert, and she was so nervous that she couldn't sing well.
The tense of the overall sentence will be dependent on the first clause. Therefore, it is common to see the verb before
あまり being used in several different tenses.
先輩(せんぱい)は飲(の)み会(かい)でお酒(さけ)を沢山(たくさん)飲(の)んだあまり、一人(ひとり)で帰(かえ)ることができなかった。
Senpai drank so much at the party that he couldn't get home by himself.
最近(さいきん)彼女(かのじょ)と別(わか)れた友達(ともだち)を心配(しんぱい)するあまり、友達(ともだち)の話(はな)しを聞(き)きに行(い)った。
I was so worried about my friend, who has broken up with his girlfriend recently, that I went to his place to listen to him vent.
社長(しゃちょう)は社員(しゃいん)全員(ぜんいん)に恐(おそ)れられているあまり、誰(だれ)も社長(しゃちょう)の提案(ていあん)を否定(ひてい)しない。
The CEO of our company is so feared by all of the workers that no one will criticize his decisions.