1
as in ominous
being or showing a sign of evil or calamity to come
a dire forecast of a plunge in stock prices
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in terrifying
causing fear
a series of dire tremors that hinted at a huge volcanic eruption
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in urgent
needing immediate attention
a dire need for food and medicine in the famine-stricken country
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in bleak
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
with stock prices steadily falling, these are dire days on the trading floor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dire
But Johnson’s camp maintains the mayor is in no dire straits.
—
Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 18 Jan. 2026
Holcomb waived a fine for Olsen because of his dire financial situation.
—City News Service, Oc Register, 17 Jan. 2026
Conditions are dire in Iran, said Alireza Nader and Nik Kowsar on Foreign Policy.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 17 Jan. 2026
The dire conditions can threaten residents’ health.
—Tammy Webber, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dire
Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 18 Jan. 2026
Holcomb waived a fine for Olsen because of his dire financial situation.
—City News Service, Oc Register, 17 Jan. 2026
Conditions are dire in Iran, said Alireza Nader and Nik Kowsar on Foreign Policy.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 17 Jan. 2026
The dire conditions can threaten residents’ health.
—Tammy Webber, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dire
Adjective
-
Episodes are bound together by banal introductory voiceover, in which our narrator recites ominous clichés that, like everything in His & Hers, border on parody.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Jan. 2026
-
More ominous still is the thought of the FanDuel mentality extending into other areas of American life.—
Rand Richards Cooper,
Hartford Courant,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Humans could suddenly step into a box, perhaps hear gears grind, and then exit the box on a different floor—and even as safety features were innovated, that was terrifying.—
Jason Corso,
Fortune,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Madigan's character, the elderly aunt of several of the students, became a cult favorite, both terrifying and delighting audiences.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
5 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
And there is another urgent area requiring our attention.—
Sacramento Bee staff,
Sacbee.com,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The administration’s enthusiasm to improve America’s health has real, urgent promise.—
Jerome Adams,
Fortune,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Her family later learned that on April 23, 2021 — the day Parker found his aunt in a bleak mood — Dee had an angry confrontation over financial issues with two employees of the trucking company.—
Christine Pelisek,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
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Some of Tarr’s most memorable scenes feature landscapes, often bleak and despairing settings of decaying Hungarian towns, punctuated with close-ups of characters’ faces.—
John Penner,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Even his smile is sinister in the English actor’s current reign of cinematic terror.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
14 Jan. 2026
-
This is not the gleeful dance party of purgatory—there is a more sinister and sincere quality to it.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The service Aside from a formidable restaurant and spa, the service sets this hotel apart from other country boutiques in Sicily.—
Rosalyn Wikeley,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Jan. 2026
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The hardy parasite is also highly attuned to threats and responds with formidable defense mechanisms — prolonging a treatment process that’s already months to years long and often fraught with other hurdles and pain.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that the manner of Cameron’s death was acute methadone intoxication.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Both acute and chronic stress are damaging to the body in a myriad of ways.—
Tara Narula,
Time,
20 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
In the story, there is a lot of comedy that naturally arises from tragic moments, from dark, depressing moments.—
Carole Horst,
Variety,
10 Jan. 2026
-
This is par for the course, because conversations are confusing, even depressing.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dire. Accessed 21 Jan. 2026.
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