1
as in ominous
being or showing a sign of evil or calamity to come
a dire forecast of a plunge in stock prices
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in terrifying
causing fear
a series of dire tremors that hinted at a huge volcanic eruption
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in urgent
needing immediate attention
a dire need for food and medicine in the famine-stricken country
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in bleak
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
with stock prices steadily falling, these are dire days on the trading floor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dire
With just three off-ball linebackers on the roster, and none with green-dot experience as the lead communicator and signal-caller, the need for a player in the middle of the defense hasn’t been this dire in a long time for the franchise.
—
Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Mar. 2026
The situation at airports became dire in recent weeks, with more than 500 TSA agents quitting their jobs as the shutdown wore on.
—Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
The Sudan Doctors Network, a group tracking the war, said the RSF and its allies shelled residential areas in the city amid dire humanitarian conditions.
—Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2026
Even with the oil problem or the energy crisis, the predictions are not dire.
—NBC news, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dire
Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Mar. 2026
The situation at airports became dire in recent weeks, with more than 500 TSA agents quitting their jobs as the shutdown wore on.
—Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
The Sudan Doctors Network, a group tracking the war, said the RSF and its allies shelled residential areas in the city amid dire humanitarian conditions.
—Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2026
Even with the oil problem or the energy crisis, the predictions are not dire.
—NBC news, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dire
Adjective
-
Those citing such ominous scenarios envisioned other possible dangers, including the debilitation of America’s security guarantees to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf oil exporters.—
Paul Blustein,
Fortune,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Certain signs, such as the recent decree by the municipal authorities of Damascus confining the sale of alcohol to Christian neighborhoods, are ominous.—
Alvaro Vargas Llosa,
Oc Register,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The terrifying cadence of airstrikes shapes daily life in Tehran.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
But beneath the ice, something terrifying has awakened.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Pundits say the public is too divided, the issues too technical, and the competition with China too urgent for democracy.—
Justin Rosenstein,
Fortune,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Decisions move farther from classrooms, reforms take longer to implement and urgent problems become administrative processes.—
Daniel L Gordon,
Daily News,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
What’s great about Grayson’s story is that things were looking pretty bleak before the Bananas rolled into town about a decade ago.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
28 Mar. 2026
-
The future looks bleak for non-power conferences and uncertain for Big East, Big 12 and ACC, too.—
Jon Wilner,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
White noise swirls like smoke and Kenyan guest vocalist Lord Spikeheart’s sinister laughter punctuates the murk.—
Philip Sherburne,
Pitchfork,
25 Mar. 2026
-
As labor complications ensue, a blizzard rages outside trapping the family in their home – sitting ducks for whatever sinister presence might be in there with them.—
William Earl,
Variety,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Yahoo will be competing against a familiar foil in Google, which remains the same formidable force that spelled the company's demise 20 years ago and has been progressively layering more AI into its search engine with its Gemini technology.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Then finding the players who can execute them has made UConn the sport’s most formidable force.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Take, for example, radiation, which with moderate exposures can increase an astronaut’s long-term risk of cancer and with heavy doses can cause acute sickness.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
31 Mar. 2026
-
His masterful short stories revolve around distinctive characters with profound empathy and acute detail.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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All airports are depressing and scary; some go above and beyond.—
Ellen Cushing,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
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And people in Silicon Valley are after efficiency, which lacks humanity and can be horribly depressing.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dire. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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