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
Adjective
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If the sky turns ominous and thunder can be heard, find a secure place for shelter.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
5 Nov. 2025 -
Trying to outrun the ominous presence, Eve will face the darkest parts of herself and uncover what she is made of.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Episode 3 confirms that this is no mere nod to another Stephen King classic, when the young Black soldier showcases his unique powers in a thrilling and terrifying sequence.—
Andrew McGowan,
Variety,
10 Nov. 2025
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That is, until Episode 3, when the terrifying harlequin seems to finally appear from the pitch black depths of a crypt inside the Derry cemetery.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
But as old tensions flare between them, Katie begins to experience terrifying visions and a ghostly presence warning of something sinister lurking aboard.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Which casts a show seemingly designed to bypass all judgments with respect to storytelling and taste, gliding straight to the pleasure center of some imaginary horny, enraged, shopaholic feminine id, in a fairly sinister light.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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As the day wears on, the crowd swells to a formidable throng.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
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If host Point Loma was going to stay unbeaten and advance to the Division 1 quarterfinal with a win over Mater Dei Catholic on Friday night, Pointers head coach Ryan Price was sure his formidable defense would have a major hand in it.—
Kevin J. Farmer,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
If the sky becomes menacing and thunder becomes audible, seek out a safe place to seek shelter.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Nov. 2025
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The film ends with Dek standing alongside Thia and Bud, his new clan, as a large, menacing Yautja ship appears on the horizon.—
Adam B. Vary,
Variety,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The New York native collected Golden Globe and Spirit awards for her performance as the title character, an aging Czechoslovakian actress forced to take a stand-in job in a horrible off-Broadway play, in Anna.—
Mike Barnes,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Nov. 2025
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Gano opening up about this comes on a horrible day for the football world after Dallas Cowboys second-year linebacker Marshawn Kneeland died by suicide at the age of 24.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The groundbreaking research penetrated the last moments of the young nobleman, who suffered a terrible 26 blows.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Nov. 2025
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History is full of cases where great bands make terrible records, yet history stands speechless at what the Clash accomplished here.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Because to accept Douglas Kelley's conclusions that the capacity for the most unspeakable atrocity is latent in our own reality is shockingly quotidian and perhaps too frightening to hear; a responsibility too terrible to accept and yet too prescient to ignore.—
NPR,
NPR,
11 Nov. 2025
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The 3-point shooting won’t hold, but even being around the top 10 in accuracy would make this scary Rockets squad even more frightening.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
10 Nov. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Direful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/direful. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.
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