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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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as in terribly
to a great degree
that's awful sweet of you
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of awful
Virginia Chamlee, People.com, 16 June 2025
Even so, some of Lucy’s pronouncements are so truly awful that a blunt snort of laughter is the only response.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 13 June 2025
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
Don’t let anyone - not your husband nor any of the awful family - tell you otherwise.
—Virginia Chamlee, People.com, 16 June 2025
Even so, some of Lucy’s pronouncements are so truly awful that a blunt snort of laughter is the only response.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 13 June 2025
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
-
To be able to say that so many writers have been meaningful to you is not a horrible thing.—
John Warner,
Chicago Tribune,
28 June 2025
-
If Flagg develops into the human triple double who leads the team to the Western Conference Finals and NBA Finals in his first six years, the trade can be called not a horrible deal.—
Mac Engel,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 June 2025
Adjective
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Looking for an amazing place to celebrate the Fourth of July?—
Everett Potter,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
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And equally amazing is the fact that the brooch or pin that Duguid wears in it on his coat survives and [was previously] displayed next to the painting.—
Karin Wulf,
Smithsonian Magazine,
1 July 2025
Adjective
-
Throughout the Holocaust, the Nazis concentrated European Jews in urban ghettos, which were marked by horrific living conditions, forced labor and the threat of execution.—
Tom Dreisbach,
NPR,
30 June 2025
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And that's a tough sell to a jury that spent weeks listening to horrific testimony about Diddy and his empire.—
Lauryn Overhultz,
FOXNews.com,
29 June 2025
Adjective
-
Rarely great, and consistently cringey in that NHL way we’re used to by now, but rarely terrible.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
28 June 2025
-
Gi-hun is left with a terrible choice: kill the baby and survive, or sacrifice himself so that the baby can live.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
27 June 2025
Adverb
-
Then in April 2021, Granda’s plan to escape went terribly wrong.—
Charles Rabin,
Miami Herald,
24 June 2025
-
To the surprise of no one, something has gone terribly wrong.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
24 June 2025
Adjective
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The pair hit an ugly double-spinebuster on the Arabic announce table.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
28 June 2025
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The wild and ugly scenes saw rioters attack law enforcement with rocks and Molotov cocktails while others burned vehicles and other property.—
Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
28 June 2025
Adjective
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Colleagues, mentors and friends are wonderful sources of feedback.—
Kim Salem-Jackson,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
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Favorite collections: Dior, Willy Chavarria, Craig Green, Lemaire and Officine Générale Best show format: The glorious city of Paris and its surroundings were on wonderful display this show season.—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
30 June 2025
Adjective
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Accounts of government and police repression have only gotten more gruesome, with Amnesty Kenya reporting that 16 people have been shot and killed as of June 28 and local officials claiming that hundreds have been injured (while also alleging that most of those hurt were police officers).—
Mankaprr Conteh,
Rolling Stone,
30 June 2025
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Forget turning on some gruesome horror movie: reading the daily headlines is enough to make just about anyone scream.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
26 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Awful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/awful. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.
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