1
as in horrible
causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment
that's an awful thing to say about someone
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in amazing
causing wonder or astonishment
the awful power of Niagara Falls
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in horrific
extremely disturbing or repellent
spare me the awful details of the murder
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in terrible
extremely unsatisfactory
I can't believe I spent good money to see that movie—it was awful
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in terribly
to a great degree
that's awful sweet of you
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of awful
Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 3 May 2025
The Knicks then exorcised another demon — awful performances coming out of the halftime break.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 2 May 2025
Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 26 May 2022
First, there is the question whether the awful-looking restraint maneuver Chauvin used was actually authorized at the time, or at least not clearly forbidden.
—D.j. Tice, Star Tribune, 20 Feb. 2021
See All Example Sentences for awful
Adjective
Parkinson’s season rating… 9/10: Rarely put a foot wrong and was not worried to make the big calls, particularly at the start of February when a reset was needed after an awful first month of the year had yielded just four points from five games.
—Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 3 May 2025
The Knicks then exorcised another demon — awful performances coming out of the halftime break.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 2 May 2025
Adverb
Someone who has worked awful hard, has a great skill set, four years of college, four years of lifting, four years of game-planning at a high level in Division III.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 26 May 2022
First, there is the question whether the awful-looking restraint maneuver Chauvin used was actually authorized at the time, or at least not clearly forbidden.
—D.j. Tice, Star Tribune, 20 Feb. 2021
See All Example Sentences for awful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for awful
Adjective
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Big, wonderful, funny, horrible, strange, sad, great life.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
1 May 2025
-
One of our group hunted it on a rainy afternoon — traditionally a horrible time to bag a bird — and killed a 3-year-old tom. —A.M. Don’t Become Overly Reliant on Your Cameras Cameras aren’t magic.—
Andrew McKean,
Outdoor Life,
1 May 2025
Adjective
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Midway through game three, Agassi was clearly winded from playing in the oppressive Florida humidity, but after an amazing rally at 7-7 in the third the teenagers capitulated and Waters/Agassi were able to win and move forward.—
Todd Boss,
Forbes.com,
4 May 2025
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Thank you to our amazing cast, crew, and producers and writers!—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
3 May 2025
Adjective
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The zombies are terrifying, and every situation our heroes find themselves in is a horrific, life-or-death struggle.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
3 May 2025
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The fact that, in 2013, Ulman survived a horrific bus crash that left her with permanent disabilities has also played a role in her process.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
2 May 2025
Adjective
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United have fallen massively and it’s been a terrible watch all season, bar a couple of highs.—
Andy Mitten,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2025
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Public interest in the film intensified after a stroke of terrible happenstance.—
Jelani Cobb,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2025
Adverb
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Our minds, for all their attunement to the nuances of the physical world—the subtle shifts in light, the micro-expressions that move on the faces of other people—are not terribly adept at perceiving those distinctions through the filters of airwaves and screens.—
Megan Garber,
The Atlantic,
29 Apr. 2025
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This price isn't terribly juicy, hence the recommendation to wager a half-unit instead of a full unit.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The biggest storyline in the series, however, has been all of the ugly hits and bad blood between the two state rivals.—
James Mirtle,
New York Times,
29 Apr. 2025
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Brinkley in her book describes one ugly scene when Joel, deep in his cups, ate a heap of spaghetti directly from a large pan on the stove, then vehemently kicked everyone out of the house for eating his pasta.—
Marc Weingarten,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Washington Capitals, won 4-1 against Montreal Last week: 7 Sean: 4 Dom: 9 Pierre-Luc Dubois had a fine first round, but zero goals and two assists were still a step down from his wonderful regular season.—
Dom Luszczyszyn,
New York Times,
2 May 2025
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Big, wonderful, funny, horrible, strange, sad, great life.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
1 May 2025
Adjective
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For some, watching the film might seem like a gruesome voyeuristic act, even if the scene in question is not a part of the final cut.—
Jane Onyanga-Omara,
USA Today,
3 May 2025
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David Carpenter was sentenced to death in 1984 for the murders of more than half a dozen people along Northern California hiking trails between 1979 and 1981, a gruesome spree that earned him the nickname Trailside Killer.—
Hannah Wiley,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Awful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/awful. Accessed 13 May. 2025.
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