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
Examples of dreadful in a Sentence
Adjective
Her performance was absolutely dreadful.
Those children have such dreadful manners.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
His team acquitted itself well following a dreadful start, pulling within three in the second half before losing 67-60 after trailing 17-0.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Oct. 2025
Tony Morley, Time, 28 Dec. 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
See All Example Sentences for dreadful
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Adjective
The frustration that had been simmering throughout a dreadful collective display reached combustion levels.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
His team acquitted itself well following a dreadful start, pulling within three in the second half before losing 67-60 after trailing 17-0.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Oct. 2025
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 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
See All Example Sentences for dreadful
Cite this Entry
“Dreadful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dreadful. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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