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 Knicks were dreadful in nearly every facet of the loss, but none more critical than at the free-throw line (New York went 17-for-27), first-half turnovers (the Knicks had eight) and poor 3-point shooting (New York hit just 11 of 34).
—
Darnell Mayberry, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2026
The Royals have had a dreadful start to the season, as they are tied for the worst record in Major League Baseball at 7-14.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 19 Apr. 2026
Frank said the team could take pride in overcoming its dreadful start to come within a few victories of landing a higher seed that would have assured them a playoff spot, and posting its league-best 15th consecutive winning season.
—Janis Carr, Oc Register, 17 Apr. 2026
Unpacking wet and muddy gear at the end is always the most dreadful part of the whole trip.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dreadful
Darnell Mayberry, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2026
The Royals have had a dreadful start to the season, as they are tied for the worst record in Major League Baseball at 7-14.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 19 Apr. 2026
Frank said the team could take pride in overcoming its dreadful start to come within a few victories of landing a higher seed that would have assured them a playoff spot, and posting its league-best 15th consecutive winning season.
—Janis Carr, Oc Register, 17 Apr. 2026
Unpacking wet and muddy gear at the end is always the most dreadful part of the whole trip.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dreadful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dreadful
Adjective
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This isn’t the terrifying Frost of modernist criticism—although the poem is fully aware of darkness, and its world, on the cusp of World War I, like ours, certainly had its terrors.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Apr. 2026
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Most prior visits had morphed into extended trips into a terrifying medical underworld — to a purgatory known as emergency department boarding.—
Elisabeth Rosenthal,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Their banter is empty because outside the season’s premiere, The Boys hasn’t actually shown us this awful America, and how everyone within it, including celebrities, are at risk.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
29 Apr. 2026
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This state has had some awful governors, but none in modern times ever attempted anything so repugnant as exposing more children to deadly diseases, as DeSantis has.—
Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Earlier in the month, the courts heard the horrific and emotional testimonies of camp counselors of that night as part of the lawsuit.—
Mateo Rosiles,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
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So even as the Nazi regime was radicalizing through the 1930s and committing horrific violence, the German population was still laughing and being entertained.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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By the final showdown, the production has made use of every bit of stage space, with sensational flying sequences (choreographed by Lauren Yalango-Grant and Christopher Cree Grant) that allow the vampires to float, hover, and—in one especially intense moment—dive from that bridge.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
30 Apr. 2026
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The moment has sparked an outpouring of empathy, with many pointing to the intense pressure drivers face on the job.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But the 6-foot-5 Dennis-Sutton’s potential and sheer agility are off the charts, at his size.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
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The format has its limitations, though — the most obvious for fans with an inclination to ship is the sheer inability to develop romantic relationships over the course of a season.—
Payton Turkeltaub,
Variety,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Your cab driver is taking you on a horrible route.—
Zach Schiffman,
Curbed,
24 Apr. 2026
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There’s enough cop shows, stories about how horrible the world is, enough plot lines that are similar to each other.—
Annika Pham,
Variety,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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As their mutual competitiveness grows shockingly ugly, Niall learns to turn Ruben’s Samsonian strength and fury against him, knocking down the pillars of Ruben’s own life.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
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Rudy Gobert followed his inspired Game 2 effort against Nikola Jokic by stifling the three-time MVP again on an ugly 7-for-26 shooting night, and the Timberwolves established a postseason franchise record by allowing the Nuggets just 11 points in the tone-setting first quarter.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the Biden administration failed victims by not seeking the death penalty in many violent and gruesome cases.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
24 Apr. 2026
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Like Richards, many people also invite the public into the somewhat gruesome medical process.—
Rheana Murray,
The Atlantic,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dreadful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dreadful. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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