dreadful — ozdic

Collocations

5

1

(adj.)

VERBS

be, feel, look, smell, sound, taste

That cake smells dreadful, so I think we should throw it away.

ADV

really

My performance in the exam was really dreadful, and I'm embarrassed to show my parents.

absolutely, quite, truly

The weather last weekend was absolutely dreadful, so we stayed indoors and watched films.

pretty, rather

PREP

for

It was absolutely dreadful for the team when their best player got injured.

Definitions

adj

1

Full of something causing dread, whether

"...Aunt Em will surely think something dreadful has happened to me, and that will make her put on mourning..."

2

Full of something causing dread, whether

Here some... Look dreadful gay in their own sparkling blood.

[I]ndeed I began ſincerely to hate my ſelf for a Dog, a VVretch that had been a Thief, and a Murtherer; […] I vvent about vvith my Heart full of theſe Thoughts, little better than a diſtracted Fellovv; in ſhort, running headlong into the dreadfulleſt Deſpair, and premeditated nothing but hovv to rid my ſelf out of the VVorld; […] nothing lay upon my Mind for ſeveral Days, but to ſhoot my ſelf into the Head vvith my Piſtol.

3

Full of something causing dread, whether

4

Full of dread, whether

Shame to the slothful and woe to the weak one. Death to the dreadful who turn to flee. Blood to the tearing, the talon’d, the beaked one. Timor Mortis are We.

5

Full of dread, whether

adv

1

Dreadfully.

I'm sorry, Miz Terrigan. I'm dreadful sorry.

You don't look so dreadful poor in the face as you did a while back.

noun

1

A shocker: a report of a crime written in a provokingly lurid style.

2

A journal or broadsheet printing such reports.

3

A shocking or sensational crime.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

adjective — causing fear or dread or terror

adjective — exceptionally bad or displeasing

Antonyms

Idioms & Phrases

Example Bank

6

01

"...Aunt Em will surely think something dreadful has happened to me, and that will make her put on mourning..."

Wiktionary

02

Here some... Look dreadful gay in their own sparkling blood.

Wiktionary

03

[I]ndeed I began ſincerely to hate my ſelf for a Dog, a VVretch that had been a Thief, and a Murtherer; […] I vvent about vvith my Heart full of theſe Thoughts, little better than a diſtracted Fellovv

Wiktionary

04

I'm sorry, Miz Terrigan. I'm dreadful sorry.

Wiktionary

05

You don't look so dreadful poor in the face as you did a while back.

Wiktionary

06

"No," she replied, coolly, "and I shall want my dinner dreadful bad afore I get it, I know. You don't often feel dreadful hungry, do you, sir?

Wiktionary

Usage Notes

i Register

In some senses, dreadful is marked as obsolete, informal. Watch for register when choosing this word.