1
as in terrifying
causing fear
a dreadful hurricane
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in awful
causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment
a dreadful performance of a beautiful piece of music
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in horrific
extremely disturbing or repellent
dreadful news of a crime wave in the neighborhood
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
the dreadful heat of the desert
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in sheer
having no exceptions or restrictions
made a dreadful mess of his first marriage
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 dreadful
This largely dreadful comedy had Billy Crystal as a PR flack trying to manage the fallout from megastars Catherine Zeta-Jones and John Cusack’s high-profile breakup, while trying to promote their disastrous upcoming movie.
—
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025
Since that time, says Paine, even those fortunate enough to live under benevolent rule have seldom been more than one generation away from yet another dreadful monarch.
—Matthew Redmond, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2025
These dreadful stomach and bowel cancers are increasingly afflicting young men who are ever more often being taken from us so cruelly, so early.
—Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Oct. 2025
Snakes and scorpions would often find their way in, making for an even more dreadful experience.
—Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dreadful
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025
Since that time, says Paine, even those fortunate enough to live under benevolent rule have seldom been more than one generation away from yet another dreadful monarch.
—Matthew Redmond, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2025
These dreadful stomach and bowel cancers are increasingly afflicting young men who are ever more often being taken from us so cruelly, so early.
—Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Oct. 2025
Snakes and scorpions would often find their way in, making for an even more dreadful experience.
—Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dreadful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dreadful
Adjective
-
In the del Toro version, the creature played by Jacob Elordi is not terrifying, the director told Entertainment Weekly in September before the film debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 Oct. 2025
-
The line occurs when the film’s protagonist, Ripley (Weaver), emerges from an elevator in a giant metal bodysuit, ready to fight a terrifying alien to save a young child.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The tragedy in question is no secret — Chris and Jenny are killed together in a horrific car accident, which inspires all sorts of awful questions — and the fallout is mostly predictable.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
22 Oct. 2025
-
But talk about some awful timing, my word.—
Shamira Ibrahim,
Vulture,
20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The tragedy in question is no secret — Chris and Jenny are killed together in a horrific car accident, which inspires all sorts of awful questions — and the fallout is mostly predictable.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
22 Oct. 2025
-
How the stakeholders juggled those diametrically opposed ideas—liberty and self-governance but also slavery and their horrific treatment of the Native American population—is the part of the human experience that Burns is most interested in exploring.—
Carlo Versano,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Thus, current fears reinforce a pre-existing localism, and infuse it with new and intense emotions.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
18 Oct. 2025
-
After at least half a decade of acute concern about the way that platforms such as Instagram may affect young people, as well as intense debate about how best to keep kids safe online, Meta has arrived at a label that was invented in the 1980s because parents were upset by movies such as Gremlins.—
Kaitlyn Tiffany,
The Atlantic,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
That said, each tint is said to offer sheer, buildable coverage with the right touch of color.—
Tatayana Yomary,
Essence,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Naomi Watts also went sheer in a daring look from Valentino’s spring 2025 couture collection, which featured a voluminous skirt with a lacy top.—
Renan Botelho,
Footwear News,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Inherently, a writer doing historical research is always victim to this horrible irony.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Oct. 2025
-
There are some horrible things said on stage by the mystery writer that Tony Carlin plays.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The Broncos escaped, but this was ugly.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
20 Oct. 2025
-
On the other side, there was just as much commotion, but these conversations were almost hysterical — and far uglier.—
Julyssa Lopez,
Rolling Stone,
19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Since then, there’s been little doubt about who police believe is responsible for the 12-year-old schoolgirl’s gruesome death.—
Sean Neumann,
PEOPLE,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Cultures around the world have ancient traditions of narrating events, sometimes gruesome, through song.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
16 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dreadful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dreadful. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share