1
as in terrifying
causing fear
a dreadful hurricane
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in awful
causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment
a dreadful performance of a beautiful piece of music
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3
as in horrific
extremely disturbing or repellent
dreadful news of a crime wave in the neighborhood
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4
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
the dreadful heat of the desert
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5
as in sheer
having no exceptions or restrictions
made a dreadful mess of his first marriage
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dreadful
The team’s dreadful opening to the league has overshadowed the potency of Garcia, who ranks fifth in the conference in scoring (18.6 points per game) and minutes (34.0) and 12th in rebounding (7.3).
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Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 14 Jan. 2025
Since then, the rise of social media has been marked, among other dreadful things, by lifestyle braggadocio and algorithms fine-tuned to serve scarily relevant ads.
—Ron Lieber, New York Times, 30 Dec. 2024
But every bit as dreadful was West Ham’s manner in sacking him yesterday, 22 games after appointing him.
—Phil Hay, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
For all that creative labor across the past century, the English-speaking world has been largely resigned to the idea of middle age as a dreadful, isolating crisis.
—Matthew Redmond, The Conversation, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for dreadful 
Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 14 Jan. 2025
Since then, the rise of social media has been marked, among other dreadful things, by lifestyle braggadocio and algorithms fine-tuned to serve scarily relevant ads.
—Ron Lieber, New York Times, 30 Dec. 2024
But every bit as dreadful was West Ham’s manner in sacking him yesterday, 22 games after appointing him.
—Phil Hay, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
For all that creative labor across the past century, the English-speaking world has been largely resigned to the idea of middle age as a dreadful, isolating crisis.
—Matthew Redmond, The Conversation, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for dreadful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dreadful
Adjective
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Cumberbatch, in a few moments, expresses the depth of this father’s agony, the terrifying chasm of it.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
26 Jan. 2025
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Six episodes centre on a variety of different dinosaurs, from terrifying carnivores to docile herbivores.—
John Yoo and John Shu,
Newsweek,
23 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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But 2024 Ohio State had the good fortune to suffer that awful day in the first year of a bigger Playoff.—
Stewart Mandel,
The Athletic,
21 Jan. 2025
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There is one ray of hope for United fans though amid the awful run of results.—
Ben Church,
CNN,
20 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Beloved Hollywood couple Alison Brie and Dave Franco have teamed up on the big screen a handful of times already but their new collaboration tests their coupledom in new and horrific ways.—
Chris Gardner,
The Hollywood Reporter,
26 Jan. 2025
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Fires shine spotlight on power lines Power lines are again drawing the spotlight as a potential cause of the horrific blazes.—
Bart Jansen,
USA TODAY,
24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Greenhouse gas emissions are driving temperature increases that make rain showers more intense, and high-rises have typically added stormwater injection wells to alleviate flooding.—
Denise Hruby,
Miami Herald,
31 Jan. 2025
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In 2019, essayist Sarah Chihaya had a nervous breakdown that coincided with a bout of the titular anxiety disorder, which causes someone to have an intense and irrational fear of books and writing.—
Shannon Carlin,
TIME,
31 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The war is being run by zealots who will measure their success by the sheer number of people deported.—
Letters to the editor,
Orlando Sentinel,
22 Jan. 2025
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Available in 20 shades, this reformulated take on the original Laura Mercier formula offers 16 hours of wear, with coverage that can be built up from sheer to light.—
Emily Orofino,
Vogue,
22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Traffic was horrible and the private crews can’t turn on a siren, ignore traffic laws, and drive on the wrong side of the road like public firefighters.—
Joseph Bien-Kahn,
Rolling Stone,
24 Jan. 2025
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Recommended Trump moves from ‘American carnage’ to ‘a horrible betrayal’ in second inaugural Juries also convicted some on charges of seditious conspiracy, which refers to activities that undermine a state without directly attacking it.—
Patrik Jonsson,
The Christian Science Monitor,
24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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An ugly opt in: If there is no trade by Feb. 6, Butler then regains a degree of leverage with the right to invoke his $52.4 million player option next season.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
23 Jan. 2025
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This underscores an ugly truth as to why California’s housing is grossly and unnecessarily expensive, and in short supply.—
Steve Forbes,
Forbes,
23 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Unlike the gruesome, bloodthirsty creatures of classic films and literature, Cullen and his family abstain from drinking the blood of humans.—
Edward Segarra,
USA TODAY,
27 Jan. 2025
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Shanks brilliantly paces the story out with several pieces of foreshadowing, including a rat king as symbolism for toxic codependency, mirroring a gruesome story Tim tells Millie about his father’s death and his mother’s mental health.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
27 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near dreadful
Cite this Entry
“Dreadful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dreadful. Accessed 4 Feb. 2025.
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