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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for direful
Adjective
  • The fall in the dollar and rise in bond yields that went with it have been truly ominous.
    Robert Daugherty, Forbes.com, 12 Apr. 2025
  • If the sky turns ominous and thunder can be heard, find a secure place for shelter.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 11 Apr. 2025
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
  • Thorne starred in the film as a young woman who discovers her father has been killed after returning to her small hometown, while Rourke, 72, starred as a sinister sheriff.
    Latoya Gayle, People.com, 11 Apr. 2025
  • As digitally dropped threats from an unknown predator grow increasingly sinister during the protagonist’s big date at a Chicago restaurant, the messages blast across the big screen in huge letters, or plaster an entire wall of the ladies’ restroom.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Wang has $106,000 in independent support, the majority of it from Empower Oakland, a nonprofit co-founded by mayoral candidate Loren Taylor that has emerged as a formidable funding arm in the city’s politics.
    Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2025
  • Cornyn is considered a formidable fundraiser; he’s brought in more than $415 million during his time in the Senate.
    Julia Manchester, The Hill, 11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Until Henry momentarily excuses himself from the table, that is, and the person or persons behind these winky-wink messages tell her to poison Henry ASAP or the menacing guy currently hiding in her apartment will kill her boy.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Ivan Koloff Oreal Donald Perras, wrestling as Ivan Koloff, became synonymous with the menacing Soviet villain.
    Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 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
  • What is disconcerting is when campaign donors and friends & family have commuted sentences after they have been legally convicted of terrible financial crimes.
    Sanjeev Menon, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Skinner had a terrible time of it for much of the season.
    Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • In the episode, O'Dowd and Jones play Mike and Amanda, respectively, a couple living a happy and simple life until Amanda suffers a frightening medical emergency and passes out.
    Christopher Rudolph, People.com, 11 Apr. 2025
  • But don't let the name fool you, Murderbot isn't actually the frightening story of a dangerous security robot.
    Shania Russell, EW.com, 9 Apr. 2025
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Direful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/direful. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.

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