direful

adjective

ˈdī(-ə)r-fəl How to pronounce direful (audio)
Definition of direfulnext
1
as in ominous
being or showing a sign of evil or calamity to come the stock market crash was the first direful indication of the dark days to come

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in terrifying
causing fear heard the direful howling of the wolves during the night

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for direful
  1. ominous
  2. terrifying
  3. sinister
  4. formidable
  5. menacing
  6. horrible
  7. terrible
  8. frightening
Adjective
  • The Wall Street Journal: The GOP spending rebellion is an ominous sign for Trump’s all-Republican government.
    Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 24 Dec. 2024
  • One moment, Hoult’s walking along a dirt road in the dark toward the ominous moonlit castle of Count Orlok.
    Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 24 Dec. 2024
Definition of ominous
Adjective
  • Three years later, Dex's death deals a major blow to several key characters on the long-running soap, potentially introduces a terrifying new killer, and leaves behind plenty of questions as to how the series will proceed without him.
    Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 13 Dec. 2024
  • The paranormal phenomena spooking Spongebob and Squidward has a mundane explanation, but the entity flickering the lights turns out to be none other than Nosferatu, who reassures them with a terrifying smile; amusingly, Spongebob and Squidward are relieved to see him.
    Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
Definition of terrifying
Adjective
  • All this hints at a more sinister story inside; this was a factory for a highly addictive drug called Captagon.
    Greg Myre, NPR, 19 Dec. 2024
  • Luis is building a hotel for Herr König (Dan Stevens, a scream queen in his own right), whose eccentric behavior points to a sinister agenda.
    Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2024
Definition of sinister
Adjective
  • Today many companies face the formidable challenge of balancing rapid product delivery with uncompromising quality.
    Wayne Yu, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
  • From his playing days, Posey remembers his Giants won with great starting pitching and a formidable bullpen juggled well by manager Bruce Bochy.
    Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 22 Dec. 2024
Definition of formidable
Adjective
  • Egerton and Bateman are both fantastic in this, and who knew Michael Bluth could be this level of menacing?
    Paul Tassi, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
  • In the memo obtained by WIRED, DHS displays less confidence in its ability to detect menacing drones.
    Dell Cameron, WIRED, 17 Dec. 2024
Definition of menacing
Adjective
  • Despite Fraser Forster making a couple of horrible mistakes in the Carabao Cup quarter-final against Manchester United, then conceding six against Liverpool, the wisest move might be to sign a younger back-up goalkeeper for the long-term.
    Jack Pitt-Brooke, The Athletic, 26 Dec. 2024
  • Specifically, Trump often points to the horrible human costs of the war and indicates a desire to put an end to the fighting as soon as possible.
    Samuel Charap, Foreign Affairs, 24 Dec. 2024
Definition of horrible
Adjective
  • That would be a terrible mistake, the Fienberg brothers argued in a Dec. 17 letter that addressed only Bowers’s federal death sentence.
    David Mark, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 22 Dec. 2024
  • Leaving wet clothes in the washing machine for too long can lead to mold and mildew, which could permanently stain your clothes—and lead to terrible smells.
    Heather Bien, Southern Living, 21 Dec. 2024
Definition of terrible
Adjective
  • Or maybe the next gen of AI swerves us even deeper into the uncanny valley in yet unknown and frightening ways.
    Jacqui Palumbo, CNN, 18 Dec. 2024
  • In the dark winter months, Krampus associations in villages hold parades, playfully frightening onlookers on Krampusnacht by chasing them and hitting them with sticks during a run through the streets.
    Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2024
Definition of frightening
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Thesaurus Entries Near direful

direct taxes

direful

dirge

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Cite this Entry

“Direful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/direful. Accessed 31 Dec. 2024.

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