1
as in ominous
being or showing a sign of evil or calamity to come
the stock market crash was the first direful indication of the dark days to come
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in terrifying
causing fear
heard the direful howling of the wolves during the night
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for direful
Adjective
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Although the change sounds ominous, the option only worked on three devices: the 4th generation Echo Dot, the Echo Show 10 and the Echo Show 15.—
Andrew Torgan,
CNN,
23 Mar. 2025 -
The ominous outlook sent FedEx shares down nearly 10 percent in Friday morning trading.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
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When powered on, the TV reveals four children apparently trapped inside and held captive by sinister forces.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
19 Mar. 2025
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The new Rhino release amplifies the darkness, letting every sinister detail seethe to the surface.—
Darryn King,
Forbes,
15 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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In the vast plains of North America, a formidable predator once reigned supreme.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
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Connecticut’s offense is formidable, but its defense is suspect.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
The Athletic,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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If the sky becomes menacing and thunder becomes audible, seek out a safe place to seek shelter.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Mar. 2025
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Dozens of Musk fans targeted Costa with menacing direct messages, social media posts and emails.—
Bobby Allyn,
NPR,
17 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Lillard’s blood clot diagnosis continues a horrible stretch of injuries that has limited the Bucks’ ability to chase postseason glory since the Bucks ended the franchise’s 50-year championship drought by winning the 2021 NBA title.—
Sam Amick,
New York Times,
26 Mar. 2025
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Those plans are HMOs and many of us remember how horrible those were, denying service, or stalling approval.—
Ticked Off,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The boys now harbor a terrible secret of their own.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes,
24 Mar. 2025
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But the point is, every team has a few terrible losses in the course of a season.—
Josh Yohe,
The Athletic,
22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Granted that a 1 degree Celsius change in world average temperature can translate into a 4-degree Celsius increase in some of the most climate precarious countries, this last scenario is frightening.—
Mike O'Sullivan,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
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While studying a rare species whose mating call appears to be the frightening shrieks the team has been hearing in the woods, the pair hired Kodiak (McHale) as their guide.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
21 Mar. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Direful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/direful. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.
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