1
as in terrifying
causing fear
a dreadful hurricane
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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4
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
the dreadful heat of the desert
Synonyms & Similar Words
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5
as in sheer
having no exceptions or restrictions
made a dreadful mess of his first marriage
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dreadful
Blending trenchant social commentary with genuine thrills, the film explores terror on both a surface and subconscious level as Chris tries to escape his dreadful fate — one that is arguably worse than death.
—
Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 5 June 2026
Brunson scored 11 points in the first half while wearing the Nike Kobe 3s on a dreadful 5-for-15 shooting.
—Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 4 June 2026
The past week of dreadful headlines has shown that many people doubt Bilton and Bari Weiss can uphold the newsmagazine’s reputation.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 4 June 2026
The old record of 51 degrees occurred five years ago during that dreadful Memorial Day weekend deluge.
—Terry Eliasen, CBS News, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for dreadful
Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 5 June 2026
Brunson scored 11 points in the first half while wearing the Nike Kobe 3s on a dreadful 5-for-15 shooting.
—Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 4 June 2026
The past week of dreadful headlines has shown that many people doubt Bilton and Bari Weiss can uphold the newsmagazine’s reputation.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 4 June 2026
The old record of 51 degrees occurred five years ago during that dreadful Memorial Day weekend deluge.
—Terry Eliasen, CBS News, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for dreadful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dreadful
Adjective
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The series follows the residents of a remote island town called Widow’s Bay, just off the coast of New England, that just so happens to be cursed and haunted with all manner of terrifying things.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
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The premise sees the town’s citizens coming around a campfire and spilling the beans on some of most terrifying deeds.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
12 June 2026
Adjective
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But their pitching staff has been disappointing to awful, and there's little help coming from the farm system.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2026
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In fact, this version of Louis sounds an awful lot like Lestat.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
16 June 2026
Adjective
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The six-month delay was vehemently opposed by most plaintiff attorneys, who say their clients have suffered horrific abuse and are in desperate need of cash.—
Rebecca Ellis,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
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The Oscar-winning Capote had the dramatic advantage of a protagonist investigating a horrific mass murder.—
Stephen Farber,
HollywoodReporter,
15 June 2026
Adjective
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Being in the C-suite is a high-pressure job with long hours, board responsibilities, and intense scrutiny.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
17 June 2026
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Within the hour, all firefighters were called off the roof and out of the building because of the danger posed by the intense flames and the ammonia leak.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
17 June 2026
Adjective
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Earlier this year, Lisa attended the 2026 Golden Globe Awards in a sheer Jacquemus look, and in January, Kith named her guest designer for its spring 2026 collection.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
13 June 2026
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Elizabeth Hurley looked incredible in a black string bikini and sheer pants on Instagram.—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
13 June 2026
Adjective
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The companies try to slow down this process by submerging it in oil, but the resulting flavor is horrible.—
Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner,
Martha Stewart,
13 June 2026
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Your cab driver is taking you on a horrible route.—
Zach Schiffman,
Curbed,
12 June 2026
Adjective
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Both state and church are also known for failing to live up to those ideals, for permitting indefensible abuses, for ugly histories.—
Joe Mathews,
Mercury News,
18 June 2026
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Featuring the good, the bad and the ugly, ‘Look of the Week’ is a regular series dedicated to unpacking the most talked about outfit of the last seven days.—
Fiona Sinclair Scott,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
Adjective
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The historic victory, the nation’s first ever in the World Cup, was overshadowed when the midfielder injured his leg in gruesome fashion following a clumsy challenge from Qatar’s Assim Madibo.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
19 June 2026
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Men In Blazers Canada’s first-ever World Cup victory, a 6-0 demolition derby of Qatar, was overshadowed yesterday by a gruesome leg injury suffered by midfield maestro Ismaël Koné.—
Mark Hodge,
NBC news,
19 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dreadful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dreadful. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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