awful 1 of 2

adjective

ˈȯ-fəl How to pronounce awful (audio)
Definition of awfulnext
1
as in horrible
causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment that's an awful thing to say about someone

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in amazing
causing wonder or astonishment the awful power of Niagara Falls

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3
as in horrific
extremely disturbing or repellent spare me the awful details of the murder

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4
as in terrible
extremely unsatisfactory I can't believe I spent good money to see that movie—it was awful

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

awful

2 of 2

adverb

as in terribly
to a great degree that's awful sweet of you

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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
As with giving birth on the ground, there’s an awful lot that can go wrong, and both the dangers and the question of how to deal with them would be more profound in space. — Tom Hawking, Popular Science, 25 June 2026 That’s an awful injury and an awful virus back to back — which was more difficult to overcome? — Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 25 June 2026
Adverb
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 First, there is the question whether the awful-looking restraint maneuver Chauvin used was actually authorized at the time, or at least not clearly forbidden. — D.j. Tice, Star Tribune, 20 Feb. 2021 See All Example Sentences for awful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for awful
  1. horrible
  2. amazing
  3. horrific
  4. terrible
  5. terribly
  6. ugly
  7. wonderful
  8. gruesome
Adjective
  • The toll was horrible, with some families suffering multiple deaths and injuries.
    — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026
  • Plus, Palmer is a horrible person — in this case, the victim is much more despicable than the thieves.
    — Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 8 July 2026
Definition of horrible
Adjective
  • There didn’t seem to be an amazing atmosphere inside AT&T Stadium outside Dallas and France didn’t really offer anything to change that.
    — Aleks Klosok, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
  • The World Cup has been an amazing spectacle and, mercifully, the sport’s notorious hooligans have been largely absent.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026
Definition of amazing
Adjective
  • On one level, Knife is a story of survival and recovery after a horrific attack.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 14 July 2026
  • Mosley’s case drew the attention of Guardian Angel founder and 2025 Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa, who stood with animal lovers in demanding a stiff penalty in response to the cat’s horrific death.
    — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 10 July 2026
Definition of horrific
Adjective
  • To sit still now would send a terrible message to a clubhouse full of pros, all of whom know the score.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 July 2026
  • Spieth decided the ball sitting on a steep slope and potentially on a terrible lie wasn’t playable.
    — Brody Miller, New York Times, 14 July 2026
Definition of terrible
Adverb
  • The reputations of our decent and hard-working journalists were terribly impugned, and today they have been exonerated.
    — K.J. Yossman, Variety, 7 July 2026
  • Your assumption of my competence, while gracious, would be terribly misguided.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 July 2026
Definition of terribly
Adjective
  • Even when Romanzy goes off on how stupid and ugly Caleb is — and gossips that his parents abandoned him because something must be wrong with him — Mary goes along with it.
    — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 11 July 2026
  • Featuring the good, the bad and the ugly, ‘Look of the Week’ is a regular series dedicated to unpacking the most talked about outfit of the last seven days.
    — Bianca Betancourt, CNN Money, 10 July 2026
Definition of ugly
Adjective
  • The resort provides a hiking guide—Nafea Abdeljalil was wonderful—and of course transport.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 July 2026
  • Izzy, a vulnerable, dry-humored lesbian, played with a hummingbird intensity by the wonderful Molly Bernard, marvels that the experience is hard to describe to anyone who hasn’t been through it, like sharing a dream.
    — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 9 July 2026
Definition of wonderful
Adjective
  • The rest of the trailer is filled with the kind of Eighties-style excess — with a gruesome tinge — that showcases what a good match Ellis and Murphy are for each other.
    — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 14 July 2026
  • Their early live shows were marked by ominous guitar riffs, blast beats, and gruesome antics onstage, feeding into the early signs of a new heavy metal subgenre that would become death metal.
    — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 14 July 2026
Definition of gruesome

Browse Nearby Words

awestruck
awful
awfully
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Cite this Entry

“Awful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/awful. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of awful for Spanish Speakers

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