1
a
: inspiring dread (see dread entry 2 sense 1a) : causing great and oppressive fear
a dreadful attack
2
: extremely bad, distasteful, unpleasant, or shocking
a dreadful idea
a dreadful performance
dreadful behavior
The food was absolutely dreadful.
3
: extreme
dreadful disorder
publishing
: a cheap and sensational (see sensational sense 2) story or periodical
Synonyms
Examples of dreadful in a Sentence
Adjective
Her performance was absolutely dreadful.
Those children have such dreadful manners.
Recent Examples on the Web
Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Nov. 2023
These Bruins were half-baked — great offense, dreadful defense.
—Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2023
And while a speaker may eventually emerge, the same dreadful conditions will likely prevail.
—Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 20 Oct. 2023
She’s joined in the raunchy fun by Billy Porter’s character Ocean, who leads the school’s choir into song about the dreadful years ahead.
—Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 20 Oct. 2023
What we’re left with is a dreadful, sometimes surpassingly dull taxonomy of wickedness, as the greedy, lunkheaded Ernest succumbs to Hale’s venal spell, while also falling in love with and marrying an Osage woman named Mollie.
—Ann Hornaday, Washington Post, 18 Oct. 2023
The veteran team will need to regroup on Monday’s off day following a dreadful 1-5 trip against the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks.
—Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 17 Sep. 2023
Then again, having witnessed the Chargers’ dreadful attempt to stop the Dolphins and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in Week 1, perhaps coach Mike Vrabel will give Tannehill the bigger bounce-back opportunity.
—Jeff Miller, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2023
The same investors who thought the stock market was such a dreadful place last year have changed their tune.
—Michael Joseph, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2023
Tony Morley, Time, 28 Dec. 2022
The comical bumps up against the chaotic, the domestic beats back the dreadful.
—Ed Stockly, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2022
The program is filled out with two original stories written by Novotny; including one with a character from a penny dreadful — the pulp fiction of the age.
—Annie Alleman, Chicago Tribune, 14 Sep. 2022
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Adjective
And there was a dreadful, dreary closed childrens’ psychiatric hospital that was kind of haunted and horrible.
—Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Nov. 2023
These Bruins were half-baked — great offense, dreadful defense.
—Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2023
And while a speaker may eventually emerge, the same dreadful conditions will likely prevail.
—Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 20 Oct. 2023
She’s joined in the raunchy fun by Billy Porter’s character Ocean, who leads the school’s choir into song about the dreadful years ahead.
—Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 20 Oct. 2023
What we’re left with is a dreadful, sometimes surpassingly dull taxonomy of wickedness, as the greedy, lunkheaded Ernest succumbs to Hale’s venal spell, while also falling in love with and marrying an Osage woman named Mollie.
—Ann Hornaday, Washington Post, 18 Oct. 2023
The veteran team will need to regroup on Monday’s off day following a dreadful 1-5 trip against the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks.
—Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 17 Sep. 2023
Then again, having witnessed the Chargers’ dreadful attempt to stop the Dolphins and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in Week 1, perhaps coach Mike Vrabel will give Tannehill the bigger bounce-back opportunity.
—Jeff Miller, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2023
The same investors who thought the stock market was such a dreadful place last year have changed their tune.
—Michael Joseph, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2023
Noun
In 1989, there were 892,055 cases of Guinea worm disease, a dreadful and debilitating waterborne parasitic infection historically endemic to Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.
—Tony Morley, Time, 28 Dec. 2022
The comical bumps up against the chaotic, the domestic beats back the dreadful.
—Ed Stockly, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2022
The program is filled out with two original stories written by Novotny; including one with a character from a penny dreadful — the pulp fiction of the age.
—Annie Alleman, Chicago Tribune, 14 Sep. 2022
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dreadful.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing dreadful
Dictionary Entries Near dreadful
Cite this Entry
“Dreadful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dreadful. Accessed 28 Nov. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
dreadful
adjective
dread·ful
ˈdred-fəl
1
: causing dread or awe
a dreadful storm
2
: very disagreeable, unpleasant, or shocking
a dreadful cold
dreadful news
dreadfully
adverb
-f(ə-)lē
dreadfulness
noun
-fəl-nəs
More from Merriam-Webster on dreadful
Nglish: Translation of dreadful for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of dreadful for Arabic Speakers
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