as in dreadfulness
the quality of inspiring intense dread or dismay
the awfulness of the car accident can scarcely be described
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Recent Examples of awfulness
There is no way to sugarcoat the awfulness of those months of anxiety.
—
Kate Callen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
Traditionally a dumping ground for films studios have no belief in, the first month of the year occasionally offers up films that stand out, whether due to memeability, genuine quality, or sheer rancid awfulness.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 21 Jan. 2026
Michael’s awfulness and aggression drew a lot of heat his way and helped activate most of the cast into what will hopefully be a competitive back half.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 16 Jan. 2026
On the farthest rung of awfulness, the New York Jets became the first team in NFL history to go an entire season without intercepting a pass.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 6 Jan. 2026
Hence the modest point spread despite Jets’ awfulness.
—Greg Cote
january 1, Miami Herald, 1 Jan. 2026
Up-market producer David Susskind railed for four hours about the awfulness of the boob tube.
—Thomas Doherty, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2025
The awfulness of it scrapes my veins, turning everything orange and raw.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Brent had flown to Rio in December to escape the awfulness of his life in New York.
—David Velasco, Harpers Magazine, 18 Dec. 2023
Kate Callen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
Traditionally a dumping ground for films studios have no belief in, the first month of the year occasionally offers up films that stand out, whether due to memeability, genuine quality, or sheer rancid awfulness.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 21 Jan. 2026
Michael’s awfulness and aggression drew a lot of heat his way and helped activate most of the cast into what will hopefully be a competitive back half.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 16 Jan. 2026
On the farthest rung of awfulness, the New York Jets became the first team in NFL history to go an entire season without intercepting a pass.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 6 Jan. 2026
Hence the modest point spread despite Jets’ awfulness.
—Greg Cote
january 1, Miami Herald, 1 Jan. 2026
Up-market producer David Susskind railed for four hours about the awfulness of the boob tube.
—Thomas Doherty, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2025
The awfulness of it scrapes my veins, turning everything orange and raw.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Brent had flown to Rio in December to escape the awfulness of his life in New York.
—David Velasco, Harpers Magazine, 18 Dec. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for awfulness
Noun
-
As America watched, awe turned to horror as the shuttle broke apart 73 seconds after liftoff because of a rupture in one of its solid-fuel boosters, killing everyone on board.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The film plays on the real-life horrors of conversion therapy and stars Joe Bird, Stacy Clausen, Jeremy Blewitt, Ewen Leslie, Davida McKenzie, Nicholas Hope, Zahra Newman, and Mia Wasikowska.—
Brian Welk,
IndieWire,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
All three play key roles in the library scene—in which Walker’s revolutionaries, seeking justice for a racial atrocity, hold Morgan’s collection hostage—but none had visited the real thing, on Thirty-sixth Street.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
-
The city saw some of the terror group’s worst atrocities.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
18 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
What makes your own skin crawl isn’t just the hideousness of the violence but the unblinking matter-of-factness with which DaCosta films it.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
16 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Awfulness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/awfulness. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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