1
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
2
as in amazing
causing wonder or astonishment
the awful power of Niagara Falls
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in horrific
extremely disturbing or repellent
spare me the awful details of the murder
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
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
as in terribly
to a great degree
that's awful sweet of you
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of awful
Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 11 Mar. 2026
Other casting highlights include a strong Sosie Bacon as a dogged reporter plagued with awful dialogue; an eerie Anson Mount as a mysterious figure from Kay’s past; and Montgomery, who delivers welcome warmth in a weird role.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
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
Adjective
Make no mistake about it, Smith was awful last year with the Raiders.
—Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 11 Mar. 2026
Other casting highlights include a strong Sosie Bacon as a dogged reporter plagued with awful dialogue; an eerie Anson Mount as a mysterious figure from Kay’s past; and Montgomery, who delivers welcome warmth in a weird role.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 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
Adjective
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The point was to reduce the horrible pelvic pain caused by her endometriosis (a condition in which estrogen-reliant endometrial tissue grows outside the uterus).—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
20 Mar. 2026
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Continue reading … JOHN KOUFOS — California’s get-out-of-jail-free card could put children at risk of horrible violence.—
,
FOXNews.com,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The scent, a refreshing citrus and amber fragrance, leaves your hair smelling amazing well after wash day.—
Catharine Malzahn,
Glamour,
18 Mar. 2026
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In this era of online overexposure, there’s something kind of amazing about that.—
Emma Specter,
Vogue,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Over Your Dead Body is not for the faint of heart, but give or take a rape threat that crosses the line into smug sadism without quite seeming to realize it, the violence lands as more comically cartoonish than horrific.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Mar. 2026
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The series is about the horrific shock of unexpected sorrow, how death can divide families (or bring people together) and how navigating pain can alter perspectives and paths forward.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Even if the football this summer is terrible, plenty of the teams are going to look great.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
20 Mar. 2026
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In the 1970s-1980s, all the agricultural talk in the Mississippi Delta was whether the boll weevil would be terrible or just awful this coming fall.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
19 Mar. 2026
Adverb
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In Geekbench, the A18 Pro’s single-core speeds weren't terribly far behind the A16’s multi-core<\/em> speeds.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
20 Mar. 2026
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Also, stars in this frenzied state aren’t terribly stable; the fusion rate can be tempestuous, and the star undergoes incredibly violent paroxysms.—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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This game started ugly, but the Jayhawks built a 38-18 halftime lead on the back of their defense.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
21 Mar. 2026
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Pushing too much hostility between team members or pushing Anthony too hard to be the peacekeeper could easily create an ugly atmosphere that spoils the vibe.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The Coast Guard is a huge piece of this puzzle, and to be able to see the Coast Guard come to realization is wonderful.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
18 Mar. 2026
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Something wonderful could drop into your lap in mid-June.—
Magi Helena,
Dallas Morning News,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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After a meeting with one of them goes horribly wrong, Devlin and her publicist Sylvie, another a victim of Hollywood’s censure, find revenge offers a unique albeit gruesome ingredient for Glob’s products.—
Paula L. Woods,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
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Detective Alex Cross and FBI Agent Kayla Craig (Tal) led a new joint mission to protect Durand and find the killer, who left behind gruesome clues.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Awful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/awful. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
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