1
as in terrifying
causing fear
a dreadful hurricane
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in awful
causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment
a dreadful performance of a beautiful piece of music
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3
as in horrific
extremely disturbing or repellent
dreadful news of a crime wave in the neighborhood
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4
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
the dreadful heat of the desert
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5
as in sheer
having no exceptions or restrictions
made a dreadful mess of his first marriage
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dreadful
Like other Roald Dahl books, this one has its share of dreadful characters – this time two of them are front and center.
—
Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2025
The Braves have had dreadful production in left field, with four players (including Profar’s four games) combining to post a .554 OPS before Tuesday that ranked 29th in the majors at the position.
—David O'Brien, New York Times, 18 June 2025
Uncertainty again: is this a positive position to be in, or a harbinger of something dreadful that will strike us?
—Ian Dexter Palmer, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Well, to start with, the renderings of the interior — meant to show it at its best and brightest — look dreadful.
—Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dreadful
Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2025
The Braves have had dreadful production in left field, with four players (including Profar’s four games) combining to post a .554 OPS before Tuesday that ranked 29th in the majors at the position.
—David O'Brien, New York Times, 18 June 2025
Uncertainty again: is this a positive position to be in, or a harbinger of something dreadful that will strike us?
—Ian Dexter Palmer, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Well, to start with, the renderings of the interior — meant to show it at its best and brightest — look dreadful.
—Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dreadful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dreadful
Adjective
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What to know about the committee’s investigation into Epstein. 'Like a horror movie' Exhausting, terrifying and like something out of a horror movie.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
20 Aug. 2025
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These Phillies have faced various forms of adversity in recent years, and none of it rises to this — their ace sidelined by a terrifying blood clot six weeks from the start of another postseason filled with great expectations.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Don’t rely on an aesthetic that most people can easily see is awful.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
23 Aug. 2025
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Traveling down a dirt road in the park, the men heard the awful sound of a tire on the RV going flat.—
Keith Matheny,
Freep.com,
23 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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But Indy got hit with a two-by-four with Tyrese Haliburton’s horrific Achilles tear in the first quarter of Game 7 of the finals.—
David Aldridge,
New York Times,
19 Aug. 2025
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In the end, the book circles back to the Jewish search for a home after the catastrophe of World War II and, in just a few potent pages, the consequent suffering of the Palestinians, magnified by the current horrific destruction underway in Gaza.—
Foreign Affairs,
Foreign Affairs,
19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The dog days of summer brought intense heat to the Volunteer State, including a nearly month-long streak of 90-degree days in July, the fifth longest in Nashville’s history, said the weather service.—
Diana Leyva,
The Tennessean,
23 Aug. 2025
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According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the symptoms of a snake bite differ depending on the species, but common signs near the wound include puncture marks, bleeding, redness, swelling, bruising, blistering and intense pain.—
Tina Chen,
Mercury News,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The look was finished with a silk tulle veil, crystal beaded Manolo Blahnik satin sandals and a pair of sheer elbow gloves.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
14 Aug. 2025
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Founder Samantha Brett emphasizes layering SPF over makeup, with formulas like their Beauty Screen Mineral Tints providing SPF50 protection in a sheer, wearable finish.—
Laia Farran Graves,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The sandwich, featuring ground meat—generally beef—suspended in a thick, sweet tomatoey sauce, has become an avatar of the horrible school lunch, a cliché that tends to go along with hairnets, greasy aprons, and other elements of canteen grotesquerie.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
17 Aug. 2025
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The stories have overflowed with a horrible, glorious narrative abundance.—
Lyz Lenz,
Rolling Stone,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The Navy must address the ugly fact that, despite all the security America can provide, a diverse array of enemies, rivals and criminals can shut the Panama Canal down at virtually any time.—
Craig Hooper,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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In the ugliest defeat of a season belatedly compiling them, the New York Mets blew an early 6-0 lead Wednesday to fall to the Atlanta Braves 11-6.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Galpin’s storyline does conclude in Episode 2 of Wednesday Season 2, Part 1 as the lonely man dies a gruesome death, discovered by Wednesday.—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
8 Aug. 2025
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And part of his interaction with the public had become a rather gruesome tradition: Osbourne would throw pieces of raw meat and animal parts, including intestines and liver.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
23 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dreadful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dreadful. Accessed 28 Aug. 2025.
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