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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dreadful
For the second consecutive game, UCLA forced its opponent’s top scorer into a dreadful offensive performance.
—
Andrew Greif, NBC news, 5 Apr. 2026
Bondi was a dreadful choice as the country’s chief law enforcement officer.
—Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2026
The flowering dogwood The flowering dogwood (Corhus florida) is another great choice for the landscape as an alternative to the dreadful Bradford pear.
—Campbell Vaughn, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
Yet the Kings have had dreadful starts in each of the three dates on this seven-game homestand.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dreadful
Andrew Greif, NBC news, 5 Apr. 2026
Bondi was a dreadful choice as the country’s chief law enforcement officer.
—Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2026
The flowering dogwood The flowering dogwood (Corhus florida) is another great choice for the landscape as an alternative to the dreadful Bradford pear.
—Campbell Vaughn, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
Yet the Kings have had dreadful starts in each of the three dates on this seven-game homestand.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dreadful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dreadful
Adjective
-
Some of his acts are dangerous or terrifying.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
-
In 1972, Ann-Margret fell 22 feet from a stage during a performance — a terrifying moment that could have ended her career.—
Stephanie Giang-Paunon,
FOXNews.com,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The par 3 celebrity caddie idea is awful.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
13 Apr. 2026
-
That's going to be awful difficult!—
Ashley Velie,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The charges revealed key details and were among the first concrete public moves made in a grisly and horrific case that had been under a largely secret investigation in the seven months since the body of Celeste Rivas Hernandez was found.—
Andrew Dalton,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
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On Thursday, another horrific crime rattled the city —15-year-old Jaden Pierre was beaten and fatally shot at point-blank range in a Queens playground.—
Rebecca White,
New York Daily News,
19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
No injuries were reported in the blaze and no structures were threatened, despite an extensive list of evacuation orders and warnings that were issued at the fire's most intense point.—
Zach Boetto,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
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Combining creatine with electrolytes may improve hydration and exercise performance, especially during intense or prolonged workouts.—
Morgan Pearson,
Verywell Health,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Lahav black ballgown with sheer black veil and beaded appliqués throughout.—
Alex Apatoff,
PEOPLE,
11 Apr. 2026
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And the sheer scale is unprecedented.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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On that horrible day, Dad was outside his vehicle supervising a ditch cleaning operation when a driver ignored traffic control devices, drove through a closed lane, and struck him, pinning him between two vehicles.—
Allysson Bornt,
New York Daily News,
19 Apr. 2026
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And every family has that annoying uncle that makes horrible jokes or one situation after another.—
Lexi Lane,
PEOPLE,
18 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
An ugly first period added to the initial grimness.—
Kalen Lumpkins,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Their pricey homegrown core — Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs — combined to go 13-of-42 from the field and an ugly 1-of-13 from deep.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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What follows is a crescendo of bloody madness, including a gruesome toenail cutting scene that shouldn’t be viewed while eating, a grandma being eaten alive by a pack of coyotes and a truly bonkers wake that erupts into laugh-out-loud violence thanks to a pair of dentures.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
17 Apr. 2026
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Since then, The Pitt has blown up in an unlikely way for any cultural object in the 2020s, much less a gruesome medical drama.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dreadful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dreadful. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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