1
as in terrifying
causing fear
a dreadful hurricane
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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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of dreadful
Those held at the Brooklyn jail have long complained about violence, dreadful conditions, severe staffing shortages and the widespread smuggling of drugs and other contraband, some of it facilitated by employees.
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Michael Balsamo, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2024
By stark contrast, Manchester United have endured a dreadful start to their Premier League campaign.
—Sam Meredith, CNBC, 1 Nov. 2024
Jonathan Gannon’s defense has been particularly dreadful on third down, allowing opponents to convert 52.1% of their opportunities.
—Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 31 Oct. 2024
Those held at the Brooklyn jail have long complained about rampant violence, dreadful conditions, severe staffing shortages and the widespread smuggling of drugs and other contraband, some of it facilitated by employees.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dreadful 
Michael Balsamo, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2024
By stark contrast, Manchester United have endured a dreadful start to their Premier League campaign.
—Sam Meredith, CNBC, 1 Nov. 2024
Jonathan Gannon’s defense has been particularly dreadful on third down, allowing opponents to convert 52.1% of their opportunities.
—Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 31 Oct. 2024
Those held at the Brooklyn jail have long complained about rampant violence, dreadful conditions, severe staffing shortages and the widespread smuggling of drugs and other contraband, some of it facilitated by employees.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dreadful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dreadful
Adjective
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Learn more › While the roar of the mighty Tyrannosaurs rex in the Jurassic Park film franchise is pretty terrifying, it was actually created by Hollywood special effects wizards using the sounds of a baby elephant.Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 22 Nov. 2024
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In this show, the most terrifying threat is not any singular person or group, but rather, the monsters inside us.Andrés Buenahora, Variety, 1 Nov. 2024
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But the expectations on them soon began to change: The cast were once rewarded for doing and saying awful things, from bullying to physical altercations and fat-shaming.Louis Staples, Rolling Stone, 28 Nov. 2024
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Here’s the hook, the spoiler, the surprise: That awful boyfriend and girlfriend are brother and sister.Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 27 Nov. 2024
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But when Harvey goes missing, Batman is forced to descend into the city’s labyrinthian underground, uncovering a horrific conspiracy by a secret society that has ruled Gotham for ages, one that has ties to his parents’ tragic murder.Todd Spangler, Variety, 19 Nov. 2024
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Iran possessing nukes represents an existential threat to Israel’s security in a way that terror groups—despite their horrific actions—simply never did.Carrie A. Lee, Foreign Affairs, 19 Nov. 2024
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Scorpio signs are best known to be intense and passionate, but also one of the more misunderstood signs.Athena Sobhan, People.com, 23 Nov. 2024
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Extended hours of daylight can increase sun exposure—even if the sun doesn’t feel intense.David Nikel, Forbes, 23 Nov. 2024
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Director Herbert Ross subverted Potter’s cynicism by emphasizing the life force and sheer talent of the American showbiz tradition and then connected it to visionary creativity as diverse as Edward Hopper and Bertolt Brecht.Armond White, National Review, 29 Nov. 2024
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The non-sticky gloss offers a sheer wash of color and pairs nicely with lipstick or liner.Annie Blackman, Allure, 29 Nov. 2024
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But the return of Terry Silver and that horrible Sekai Taikai tragedy seemed to put any hope for romance on pause, at least for now.Nick Caruso, TVLine, 19 Nov. 2024
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Natty’s son, Bart, is also present at their arrival, boasting about how horrible business has been and that the dude ranch will soon be sold for a hefty sum of money.Sara Belcher, People.com, 19 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The Miami Dolphins lost another big road game against a quality opponent with Thursday’s ugly 30-17 spanking at Lambeau Field before a national TV audience.Steve Svekis, Sun Sentinel, 29 Nov. 2024
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But ugly reality imposed itself unpredictably as well.Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 28 Nov. 2024
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But the indictment returned by a Georgia grand jury in May detailed a gruesome confrontation in which Ibarra allegedly asphyxiated the student, hit her over the head with a rock to the point of disfiguring her skull, and pulled up her clothing, intending to rape her.Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 20 Nov. 2024
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The film, set for theatrical release in the second or third quarter of 2025, centers on 13-year-old Achraf, who is forced into a gruesome and unimaginable act after his cousin Nizar is murdered by a group of men.Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 23 Oct. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Dreadful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dreadful. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
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