Standard Lemma guide

dreadful

adj · adv · noun · 13 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈdɹɛd.fl̩/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: D R EH1 D F AH0 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Full of something causing dread, whether

Genuinely horrific, awful, or alarming; dangerous, risky.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Full of something causing dread, whether

Unpleasant, awful, very bad (also used as an intensifier).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: excessive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Full of something causing dread, whether

Awesome, awe-inspiring, causing feelings of reverence.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Full of dread, whether

Scared, afraid, frightened.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adj

Meaning 5

Full of dread, whether

Timid, easily frightened.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adj

Meaning 6

Full of dread, whether

Reverential, full of pious awe.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

adv

Meaning 7

Dreadfully.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

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

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

A journal or broadsheet printing such reports.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

A shocking or sensational crime.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

adjective satellite

Meaning 11

causing fear or dread or terror

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the awful war
  • an awful risk
  • dire news
  • a career or vengeance so direful that London was shocked
  • the dread presence of the headmaster
  • polio is no longer the dreaded disease it once was
  • a dreadful storm
  • a fearful howling
  • horrendous explosions shook the city
  • a terrible curse

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: awful, dire, direful, dread(a), dreaded, fearful, fearsome, frightening, horrendous, horrific, terrible

Antonyms: none provided

12

adjective satellite

Meaning 12

exceptionally bad or displeasing

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • atrocious taste
  • abominable workmanship
  • an awful voice
  • dreadful manners
  • a painful performance
  • terrible handwriting
  • an unspeakable odor came sweeping into the room

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: atrocious, abominable, awful, painful, terrible, unspeakable

Antonyms: none provided

13

adjective satellite

Meaning 13

very unpleasant

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English dredful, dredfull, dredeful (also dreful). By surface analysis, dread + -ful.

Across languages

Translations

68 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: فظيع — causing dread
  • Bulgarian: страшен (strašen) — causing dread
  • Bulgarian: ужасен (užasen) — causing dread
  • Chinese Cantonese: 可畏 (ho2 wai3) — causing dread
  • Hakka Chinese: 可畏 (ko3 vi4) — causing dread
  • Chinese: 可畏 (khó-ùi) — causing dread
  • Chinese Mandarin: 可畏 (kěwèi) — causing dread
  • Danish: rædsom — causing dread
  • Danish: skrækkelig — causing dread
  • Danish: forfærdelig — causing dread
  • Dutch: vervaarlijk — causing dread
  • French: redoutable — causing dread
  • French: affreux — causing dread
  • French: terrible — causing dread
  • Galician: espantoso — causing dread
  • Galician: horríbel — causing dread
  • German: furchtbar — causing dread
  • German: schrecklich — causing dread
  • Greek: φοβερός (foverós) — causing dread
  • Greek: τρομερός (tromerós) — causing dread
  • Greek: τρομακτικός (tromaktikós) — causing dread
  • Ancient Greek: αἰνός (ainós) — causing dread
  • Irish: ainnis — causing dread
  • Irish: millteanach — causing dread
  • Irish: uafásach — causing dread
  • Old Irish: úathmar — causing dread
  • Italian: orribile — causing dread
  • Italian: spaventoso — causing dread
  • Italian: terribile — causing dread
  • Kazakh: қорқынышты (qorqynyşty) — causing dread
  • Māori: maruwehi — causing dread
  • Māori: whakarihariha — causing dread
  • Māori: whakapāwerawera — causing dread
  • Middle English: dredful — causing dread
  • Navajo: hóyééʼ — causing dread
  • Occitan: terrible — causing dread
  • Occitan: afrós — causing dread
  • Occitan: òrre — causing dread
  • Persian: افتضاح (eftezâh) — causing dread
  • Plautdietsch: schrakjlich — causing dread
  • Plautdietsch: jräsich — causing dread
  • Portuguese: horrível — causing dread
  • Portuguese: pavoroso — causing dread
  • Portuguese: terrível — causing dread
  • Portuguese: temível — causing dread
  • Portuguese: amedrontador — causing dread
  • Russian: страшный (strašnyj) — causing dread
  • Russian: ужасный (užasnyj) — causing dread
  • Russian: кошмарный (košmarnyj) — causing dread
  • Sanskrit: घोर (ghora) — causing dread
  • Sanskrit: भीष्म (bhīṣma) — causing dread
  • Scottish Gaelic: sgriosail — causing dread
  • Spanish: espantoso — causing dread
  • Spanish: pavoroso — causing dread
  • Spanish: empavoreciente — causing dread
  • Spanish: empavorecedor — causing dread
  • Thai: น่ากลัว (nâa-gluua) — causing dread
  • Thai: น่าหวาดพะวง — causing dread
  • Turkish: dehşetli — causing dread
  • Turkish: dehşet verici — causing dread
  • Turkish: korkunç — causing dread
  • Turkish: ürkünç — causing dread
  • Turkish: ürkütücü — causing dread
  • Spanish: apavorado — full of dread
  • Spanish: pavorido — full of dread
  • Spanish: espavorido — full of dread
  • Spanish: despavorido — full of dread
  • Spanish: empavorecido — full of dread