Main Entry: ghast·ly

Pronunciation: \ˈgast-lē\

Function: adjective

Inflected Form(s): ghast·li·er; ghast·li·est

Etymology: Middle English gastly, from gasten to terrify — more at gast

Date: 14th century

1 a : terrifyingly horrible to the senses : frightening <a ghastly crime> b : intensely unpleasant, disagreeable, or objectionable <such a life seems ghastly in its emptiness and sterility — Aldous Huxley>
2 : resembling a ghost
3 obsolete : filled with fear
4 : very great <a ghastly mistake>

— ghast·li·ness noun

— ghastly adverb

synonyms ghastly, grisly, gruesome, macabre, lurid mean horrifying and repellent in appearance or aspect. ghastly suggests the terrifying aspects of corpses and ghosts <a ghastly accident>. grisly and gruesome suggest additionally the results of extreme violence or cruelty <an unusually grisly murder> <suffered a gruesome death>. macabre implies a morbid preoccupation with the physical aspects of death <a macabre tale of premature burial>. lurid adds to gruesome the suggestion of shuddering fascination with violent death and especially with murder <the lurid details of a crime>.