1
as in terrifying
causing fear
a dreadful hurricane
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dreadful
In a word: dreadful. Related Articles President Trump vows 200% tariff on EU wine and champagne, escalating trade tensions
AI made its way to vineyards.
—
Laura Ness, The Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2025
The same can't be said for the four dreadful straight-to-home-market sequels that continued the story.
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 17 Mar. 2025
Even more dreadful than a fashion show with no fashions is a fashion show with no direction whatsoever.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2025
Conditions for the civilians remaining in areas occupied by Russia are often dreadful.
—Dave Lawler, Axios, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dreadful
Laura Ness, The Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2025
The same can't be said for the four dreadful straight-to-home-market sequels that continued the story.
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 17 Mar. 2025
Even more dreadful than a fashion show with no fashions is a fashion show with no direction whatsoever.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2025
Conditions for the civilians remaining in areas occupied by Russia are often dreadful.
—Dave Lawler, Axios, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dreadful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dreadful
Adjective
-
Back in August, Renner spoke about how his terrifying snowplow accident in January 2023 led to his daughter becoming a little more independent.—
Hannah Sacks,
People.com,
28 Mar. 2025
-
The terrifying predicament happened Sunday, March 23, in a wooded area off Interstate 10 in LaPlace, the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office said in a March 26 news release.—
Mark Price,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Failure to invest in protecting the vulnerable likely means the current awful trends will continue.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2025
-
There are so many connections between all these awful people.—
Mikey O'Connell,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
With that horrific risk in mind, the crew hatches a new plan.—
Proma Khosla,
IndieWire,
9 Apr. 2025
-
Viscerally horrific, conceptually mindblowing, achingly humane.—
Ollie Barder,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The missions became more intense as Japan's outlook grew more dire and the military showcased the sacrifice of the pilots to drum up patriotism and support for the war.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2025
-
Next, the authors report that repressive techniques are often effective in suppressing protest in the short run but tend to make resistance more intense in the long term.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
But the sheer volume of options in our modern world—especially in digital spheres such as online shopping, streaming services and mobile applications—can overcome the satisfaction of making these choices.—
Uriel Maslansky,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
-
But sheer athleticism won’t turn him into a celebrity, and his demeanor doesn’t endear him to people—Majors plays Maddox as a sullen and tightly wound outcast whose environment shapes his isolation.—
Hannah Giorgis,
The Atlantic,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Some veterans have impressed at the midpoint of coach Mike Norvell's spring-practice rebuilding as FSU aims to recover from last year's horrible campaign.—
Bob Ferrante,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 Apr. 2025
-
But then two horrible shifts by the Wild turned the game upside down in the blink of an eye.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
That pollution causes an ugly brown smog to blanket the skyline on hot summer days and causes people, especially those with respiratory problems, to struggle to breathe.—
Noelle Phillips,
Denver Post,
3 Apr. 2025
-
And at a moment where reality TV shows are proliferating, but often with an ugly underbelly, the cable brand is betting that its antidote will resonate with an audience on both linear TV and streaming.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Thoughtful, but gruesome is an apt descriptor for the film as well.—
NPR Staff,
NPR,
5 Apr. 2025
-
This was true of Fury (2015) as well, his brutal and gruesome war drama featuring Brad Pitt as a tank commander in the final days of World War II leading a platoon of hardened, traumatized, broken soldiers.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
3 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dreadful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dreadful. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share