1
as in gruesome
extremely disturbing or repellent
a ghastly murder that shocked even hard-bitten detectives
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
I'm afraid that there's been a ghastly misunderstanding
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in terrifying
causing fear
a ghastly crime that made local residents afraid to go out at night
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ghastly
Not as some awful sort of ghastly skeleton with a scythe in its hand coming to chop us off.
—
Terry Gross, NPR, 15 Jan. 2026
In the nineties, ghastly revelations about the mining conditions in countries such as Sierra Leone, shed harsh light on the back end of the business.
—Emilia Petrarca, New Yorker, 2 Jan. 2026
Canadian politicians have directed considerable resources to trying to improve these ghastly trends.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 27 Dec. 2025
The burial pit was a ghastly scene.
—Outside, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ghastly
Terry Gross, NPR, 15 Jan. 2026
In the nineties, ghastly revelations about the mining conditions in countries such as Sierra Leone, shed harsh light on the back end of the business.
—Emilia Petrarca, New Yorker, 2 Jan. 2026
Canadian politicians have directed considerable resources to trying to improve these ghastly trends.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 27 Dec. 2025
The burial pit was a ghastly scene.
—Outside, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ghastly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ghastly
Adjective
-
The moment causes Byron, a selfish and braggadocious villain, to have a change of heart, stopping shipments of The Beauty and paying off the families ravaged by its gruesome side effects, like Bella’s.—
Hunter Ingram,
Variety,
5 Mar. 2026
-
The gruesome discovery would eventually lead authorities to a third woman, in her 80s, killed a few towns over, triggering a manhunt across several states and prompting a two-day closure of schools in Wayne County.—
Holly Yan,
CNN Money,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The United States has pledged to keep the strait open and has led intense airstrikes targeting Iran's navy and the port city of Bandar Abbas.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Mar. 2026
-
This intense demand is driving significant activity among niche data providers.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Lisa Piper stood on her back deck and took video of a terrifying scene that played out on the other side of frozen Union Lake as a funnel cloud formed and then dropped toward the ground Friday.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Lisa Piper stood on her back deck and took video of a terrifying scene that played out on the other side of frozen Union Lake as a funnel cloud formed and then dropped toward the ground.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Casap may never change after ‘horrific’ crimes First-degree intentional homicide carries a mandatory life sentence.—
Todd Richmond,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Mougey and Jets coach Aaron Glenn will enter a critical offseason following a horrific 3-14 record.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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That’s bad news for Europe’s most energy-intensive industries, namely autos, chemicals and industrials, Klement said.—
Hugh Leask,
CNBC,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Energy-intensive industries—steel, aluminum, fertilizers, chemicals—would be among the first to feel the squeeze, as their production costs surge alongside fuel prices.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
After the horrible murder of Rob Reiner and his wife, legions of fans revisited to the director’s films, and this is one of his best.—
Brian Tallerico,
Vulture,
5 Mar. 2026
-
But today, the building is in horrible shape.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
News was spreading through the gym that Sage Hill had just upset Sierra Canyon 57-54 in Chatsworth in the other Open semifinal — one of the most shocking upsets in state basketball history.—
Steve Galluzzo,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
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The Defense Department’s reliance on Anthropic’s AI came as a shocking realization that ultimately led to their dramatic schism, according to a top Pentagon official.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
As compiled by Gnostics, who consider the material world to be a fundamentally terrible place.—
Jay Martel,
New Yorker,
12 Mar. 2026
-
The Astros’ young second baseman, Jose Altuve, was making waves, Fisher remembered, yet the club still looked terrible.—
Evan Drellich,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ghastly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ghastly. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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