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
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.
Recent Examples of dire
What holds the tax system together isn’t the omnipotence of the auditor, but the shadow of the audit—the perception that cheating is risky and noncompliance has dire consequences.
—
Andrew Leahey, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
The plea for mercy is dire: arms are held up to ward off a blow.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 23 June 2025
There are forecasts of tough economic times ahead, from dire budget cuts from Washington to many warnings of recession.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 20 June 2025
For cities across the West Coast, the crisis has grown beyond our most dire predictions.
—Nuri Kino, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for dire
Andrew Leahey, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
The plea for mercy is dire: arms are held up to ward off a blow.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 23 June 2025
There are forecasts of tough economic times ahead, from dire budget cuts from Washington to many warnings of recession.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 20 June 2025
For cities across the West Coast, the crisis has grown beyond our most dire predictions.
—Nuri Kino, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for dire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dire
Adjective
-
If the sky turns ominous and thunder can be heard, find a secure place for shelter.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
29 June 2025
-
By contrast, Kosinski’s follow-up plays out against eternal night, with dark mountains looming against deep-black skies with ominous gray clouds.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
When the body of a young man is found eerily staged in the idyllic Scottish wilderness, detective Monica Kennedy fears this is just the beginning of a terrifying campaign that will strike the heart of a rural community.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
1 July 2025
-
The terrifying moment that passengers were made to put on oxygen masks was captured on video.—
Latoya Gayle,
People.com,
1 July 2025
Adjective
-
Too Much Going On Limits Executive Team Performance Today’s executive teams are pulled in more directions than ever—global priorities, cross-functional initiatives, urgent issues, never-ending decks.—
Elizabeth Freedman,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
-
In response, researchers and experts are sounding the alarm—calling for urgent, comprehensive solutions to reverse these trends and support youth wellbeing.—
Semafor Events,
semafor.com,
30 June 2025
Adjective
-
During that bleak era, Che-Chung Tsai, a researcher at the University of Washington, contacted several companies, seeking experimental drugs for use in an animal study.—
Jon Cohen,
New Yorker,
24 June 2025
-
That said, Google’s latest survey paints a bleak picture.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
Adjective
-
The Academy Award winner looks sinister and well-suited as a leader in some kind of underground workspace (one that resembles a NASA control room and the like).—
Matt Donnelly,
Variety,
27 June 2025
-
But those few seconds don’t erase all the fleeting, sinister impressions that came before — and that turn out not to have been fleeting, after all.—
Tom Gliatto,
People.com,
21 June 2025
Adjective
-
But Martone is one of the very best prospects in this draft and gives the Flyers size, high-end skill (he’s got plus traits as a shooter, handler and playmaker), and a formidable one-two punch at right wing with Matvei Michkov.—
Scott Wheeler,
New York Times,
27 June 2025
-
The actress portrayed formidable sensei Kim Da-Eun on the Netflix series that ended in February after six seasons.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
EW.com,
26 June 2025
Adjective
-
Since then, Ben & Jerry’s politics have been a headache for its parent, and the tensions between the two have grown more acute as the business community got swept into the culture wars — first pulled to the left in the mid-2010s, then retreating rightward under the second Trump administration.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
30 June 2025
-
Decades later, that feeling is more acute: the gay beach in Chicago where it was taken no longer exists, memorialized today by a 2.5-acre garden in memory of those who lost their lives to AIDS.—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
29 June 2025
Adjective
-
That’s a depressing setup, but the film is a lot gentler.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
27 June 2025
-
And on that depressing thought, that's how Squid Game ended.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
27 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dire. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share