DIREFUL Synonyms: 148 Similar and Opposite Words

direful

adjective

ˈdī(-ə)r-fəl

Definition of direful

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

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

The ominous acts would later be debunked and deemed fake by the FBI in July.

— Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 20 July 2026
Things are also tough for their friends, Elle (Yasmin Finney) and Tao (William Gao), whose constant bickering seems to be an ominous portent for their on-again-off-again relationship.

— David Mack, CNN Money, 17 July 2026

Definition of ominous

Adjective

There was something so sinister about FIFA pushing the idea of diversity while bending the knee to a government working to discard the real thing.

— Olivier Lafontant, Pitchfork, 20 July 2026
Outside, the cops, led by a dry sinister officer in a long black leather coat, order him to get on the ground, face down; Sophia comes out of the house and is placed in the back of a car, staring at all this through the glass.

— Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 16 July 2026

Definition of sinister

Adjective

In the $200,000 San Clemente Handicap 35-1 longshot Somerset West (Armando Ayuso) outran nine other 3-year-old fillies, including three formidable challengers who shipped in from the east.

— Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 July 2026
Ohtani spearheads the game’s most formidable hypothetical October rotation.

— Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 18 July 2026

Definition of formidable

Adjective

Using everything she’s learned from Reacher and her time as a member of the 110 Special Investigators, Neagley puts herself on a dangerous path to uncover a menacing evil.

— Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 22 July 2026
Andrew Truelove, 41, was charged with hate crimes burglary and menacing, as well as criminal trespass and harassment after allegedly swinging at Melvin Thursday morning.

— Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 20 July 2026

Definition of menacing

Adjective

However, changing the Social Security formula to a means-testing base, and applying it immediately to all existing Social Security recipients, is a frightening idea.

— U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 July 2026
Panettiere's pregnancy was marked by a series of frightening health scares.

— Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026

Definition of frightening

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direct taxes

direful

dirge

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“Direful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/direful. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of direful

adjective

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