direful

adjective

ˈdī(-ə)r-fəl How to pronounce direful (audio)
Definition of direfulnext
1
as in ominous
being or showing a sign of evil or calamity to come the stock market crash was the first direful indication of the dark days to come

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in terrifying
causing fear heard the direful howling of the wolves during the night

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for direful
  1. ominous
  2. terrifying
  3. sinister
  4. formidable
  5. menacing
  6. horrible
  7. terrible
  8. frightening
Adjective
  • Once there, Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf watch as the butterfly approaches the outstretched hand of a woman whose face is obscured, before the ominous presence crushes it in her hands.
    — Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Aug. 2026
  • These fears, while unfounded, were indicative of something much worse—and marked a new, ominous chapter in the whale’s evolving symbolic import.
    — Naomi Skwarna, hazlitt.net, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of ominous
Adjective
  • Video captured recently in Botswana shows the terrifying moment a tourist boat had to outpace a charging hippo.
    — Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The bandages, cuts and stitches were still fresh from the terrifying attack on Jones Street on Wednesday evening.
    — Tammy Mutasa, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of terrifying
Adjective
  • In the more familiar galaxy far, far away, their friends Hera Syndulla, Ezra Bridger, Zeb Orrelios and Chopper must face the powerful Grand Admiral Thrawn and his sinister allies, who seek to plunge the fledgling New Republic into war.
    — Angeline Jane Bernabe, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The clip released last night shows this is a more complex, sinister strategist than Josh Brolin’s crash-bang-boom baddie Thanos from the previous Avengers pics.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of sinister
Adjective
  • Miami entered the game riding a seven-match unbeaten streak in league play and leading MLS with 45 goals, but facing a formidable foe in Nashville.
    — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 16 Aug. 2026
  • This one stars Cox himself as a mysterious and formidable old man in an undertaker’s suit and parson’s hat who wanders into an Arizona border town in 1890 to gather the names of dead Mexican laborers.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of formidable
Adjective
  • Georgia lurks as well — Kirby Smart seems to coach up a menacing defense every year.
    — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Gregory drew her as mean, menacing, and thoroughly indifferent to male-centric standards of beauty and decorum.
    — Rob Salkowitz, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of menacing
Adjective
  • Whatever cloud of innocence has hung over Jo’s life until this point is shattered, both parents struggling how to navigate the horrible experience from an emotional as well as a purely bureaucratic perspective.
    — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026
  • After years of seeing enough photos of fabulous wealth and horrible tragedy, these types of images cease to shock us.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of horrible
Adjective
  • That is not saying that her kids are terrible, lazy, ugly, addicted to TikTok, or caught shoplifting at Brandy Melville.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The arena isn’t terrible but is below average by NHL standards.
    — Josh Yohe, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of terrible
Adjective
  • But the ordeal was frightening and bewildering for Cliffel, who still didn't know what had caused her behavior.
    — Deborah Becker, NPR, 16 Aug. 2026
  • There’s a frightening imbalance in how the mainstream media report on these candidates, which tends to take it pretty easy on the latter.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of frightening
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.

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direct taxes
direful
dirge
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Cite this Entry

“Direful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/direful. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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