1
as in terrifying
causing fear
a dreadful hurricane
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in horrific
extremely disturbing or repellent
dreadful news of a crime wave in the neighborhood
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dreadful
Brunson scored 11 points in the first half while wearing the Nike Kobe 3s on a dreadful 5-for-15 shooting.
—
Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 4 June 2026
The past week of dreadful headlines has shown that many people doubt Bilton and Bari Weiss can uphold the newsmagazine’s reputation.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 4 June 2026
The old record of 51 degrees occurred five years ago during that dreadful Memorial Day weekend deluge.
—Terry Eliasen, CBS News, 28 May 2026
April showers filled May reservoirs, but not enough to salvage a dreadful water year for farmers across southern Idaho — or to offset mounting fears of the wildfire season ahead.
—Mark Dee
may 22, Idaho Statesman, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for dreadful
Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 4 June 2026
The past week of dreadful headlines has shown that many people doubt Bilton and Bari Weiss can uphold the newsmagazine’s reputation.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 4 June 2026
The old record of 51 degrees occurred five years ago during that dreadful Memorial Day weekend deluge.
—Terry Eliasen, CBS News, 28 May 2026
April showers filled May reservoirs, but not enough to salvage a dreadful water year for farmers across southern Idaho — or to offset mounting fears of the wildfire season ahead.
—Mark Dee
may 22, Idaho Statesman, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for dreadful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dreadful
Adjective
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The disregard for one’s health is terrifying.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
9 Dec. 2025
-
The woman who survived a terrifying accident on the Stevenson Expressway last week is speaking out about the incident.—
Marissa Sulek,
CBS News,
9 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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There's an awful lot of this nation's history packed into one three-block area in Philadelphia.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
-
Speaking of paperwork, there’s an awful lot of it in this episode.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
10 June 2026
Adjective
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The six-month delay was vehemently opposed by most plaintiff attorneys, who say their clients have suffered horrific abuse and are in desperate need of cash.—
Rebecca Ellis,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
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The Oscar-winning Capote had the dramatic advantage of a protagonist investigating a horrific mass murder.—
Stephen Farber,
HollywoodReporter,
15 June 2026
Adjective
-
Thanks to more than 200 years of intense and virtuoso scientific work, what were once valid or at least plausible concerns and objections to vaccines have been overcome.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
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Whether Tuchel will, in fact, be able to produce a more intense high-pressing style this summer, given the climate and the dense schedule, is another matter.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
A’ja Wilson is a picture of sheer joy and utter domination.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
10 Dec. 2025
-
Use sheer curtains to filter the light if needed.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
9 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
The companies try to slow down this process by submerging it in oil, but the resulting flavor is horrible.—
Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner,
Martha Stewart,
13 June 2026
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Any justice in the community would praise this murderer’s row of craftspeople working on the production design for the period town setting; makeup, especially Pennywise’s horrible face; sound design, for helping to keep the audio terrors churning along; and the costume work.—
William Earl,
Variety,
11 June 2026
Adjective
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Putting to one side any uglier consequences of illness or less fixable emotional wounds, the film follows suit — though there’s only a glancing sense here that death is for life, not just for Christmas.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
11 Dec. 2025
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Monday's matchup was one of the ugliest games of the year for the Eagles, committing five costly turnovers in the 22-19 loss.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Schlepping from town to town to support his gruesome secret tradition, Billy flashes forward from a terrifying memory from the car-jacking that killed his parents when was 8 years old.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
11 Dec. 2025
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The neighbor found Bethany in her crib and a gruesome crime scene close by.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
10 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dreadful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dreadful. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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