AWFUL Synonyms: 429 Similar and Opposite Words

awful 1 of 2

adjective

ˈȯ-fəl

Definition of awful

as in horrible

causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment that's an awful thing to say about someone

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in amazing

causing wonder or astonishment the awful power of Niagara Falls

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in horrific

extremely disturbing or repellent spare me the awful details of the murder

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in terrible

extremely unsatisfactory I can't believe I spent good money to see that movie—it was awful

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

awful

2 of 2

adverb

as in terribly

to a great degree that's awful sweet of you

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of awful

Adjective

Max also smelled awful, could barely walk and had about nine to 10 wounds on his body, according to the document. — Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 25 June 2026 One year Pippa Middleton faced the awful shame of having to sit in a normal seat after showing up late. — Nick Miller, New York Times, 4 July 2026

Adverb

The following day, Gonzalez was back at the testing site, helping patients — many of whom had fevers and awful-sounding coughs — fill out their paperwork. — Karen Ann Cullotta, chicagotribune.com, 2 Oct. 2020 Someone who has worked awful hard, has a great skill set, four years of college, four years of lifting, four years of game-planning at a high level in Division III. — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 26 May 2022 See All Example Sentences for awful

Recent Examples of Synonyms for awful

Adjective

And obviously, slavery was a terrible thing, and that was horrible.

— Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026
Horton, who married Rickman in 2012 in a private ceremony after more than 40 years together, also told the outlet that the diagnosis had been a horrible shock to them both.

— Gillian Telling, PEOPLE, 29 June 2026

Definition of horrible

Adjective

So learn to love it and use it to help people to see the constraint as something amazing and beneficial like free filtering, a gift of what not to do, or even a head start, not a smaller box to play in.

— Nir Bashan, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
Networking is an amazing way to connect you with people in your professional field and to give you insight into your career trajectory, Libra.

— Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026

Definition of amazing

Adjective

Gerardi and his horrific murder have remained relevant in the decades since.

— Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 July 2026
To be sure, the thugs of Hamas and Hezbollah committed a horrific massacre of young Jewish civilians enjoying a music festival on October 7, 2023.

— DP Opinion, Denver Post, 6 July 2026

Definition of horrific

Adjective

With all the terrible news of layoffs and that the games industry is in a dire state, some people online have said a crash is the only way to fix things.

— Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
With Te Fiti gone, a terrible darkness began slowly taking hold of the islands and their surrounding waters.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026

Definition of terrible

Adverb

But everyone on the Spurs shot terribly from deep in the clutch.

— Jared Weiss, New York Times, 29 June 2026
Wonderfully and terribly, everything does happen for Maddie after her adoring bear of a husband, Jake (Eric Rahill), makes a cooking video of her that goes massively viral.

— Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026

Definition of terribly

Adjective

Lasko’s teammate, Devin Taylor, was able to get up and field the rolling ball that split the two defenders, but Lasko stayed on the ground in what was a pretty ugly crash.

— Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
His ability to perform a cesarean section — something Doc couldn't dream of — forces the town to reckon with an ugly part of their collective conscience.

— Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 3 July 2026

Definition of ugly

Adjective

The more time passes, the more gruesome the recovery process becomes, said William Gomez, a firefighter in La Guaira.

— Fernanda Pesce, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Family and loved ones are remembering Brittany Clark, the former Sacramento resident and Kennedy High School student killed by an alligator in a Florida river, as officials there released new details of the gruesome attack.

— Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 6 July 2026

Definition of gruesome

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awestruck

awful

awfully

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“Awful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/awful. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of awful

adjective

adverb

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