English Explanatory Dictionary

dreadful

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Full of something causing dread, whether
  2. Genuinely horrific, awful, or alarming; dangerous, risky.
  3. Unpleasant, awful, very bad (also used as an intensifier).
  4. Awesome, awe-inspiring, causing feelings of reverence.
  5. Full of dread, whether
  6. Scared, afraid, frightened.
  7. Timid, easily frightened.
  8. Reverential, full of pious awe.
adv
  1. Dreadfully.
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.

Pronunciation

/ˈdɹɛd.fl̩/ en-us-dreadful.ogg

Word forms

dreadful more dreadful most dreadful dreadfull dredful dreadfuls

Etymology

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

Synonyms

frightening bad

Derived words

dreadfully dreadfulness something dreadful undreadful penny dreadful

Translations

Arabic: فظيع Bulgarian: страшен Bulgarian: ужасен Chinese Cantonese: 可畏 Hakka Chinese: 可畏 Chinese: 可畏 Chinese Mandarin: 可畏 Danish: rædsom Danish: skrækkelig Danish: forfærdelig Dutch: vervaarlijk French: redoutable French: affreux French: terrible Galician: espantoso Galician: horríbel German: furchtbar German: schrecklich Greek: φοβερός Greek: τρομερός Greek: τρομακτικός Ancient Greek: αἰνός Irish: ainnis Irish: millteanach Irish: uafásach Old Irish: úathmar Italian: orribile Italian: spaventoso Italian: terribile Kazakh: қорқынышты Māori: maruwehi Māori: whakarihariha Māori: whakapāwerawera Middle English: dredful Navajo: hóyééʼ Occitan: terrible Occitan: afrós Occitan: òrre Persian: افتضاح Plautdietsch: schrakjlich Plautdietsch: jräsich Portuguese: horrível Portuguese: pavoroso Portuguese: terrível Portuguese: temível Portuguese: amedrontador Russian: страшный Russian: ужасный Russian: кошмарный Sanskrit: घोर Sanskrit: भीष्म Scottish Gaelic: sgriosail Spanish: espantoso Spanish: pavoroso Spanish: empavoreciente Spanish: empavorecedor Spanish: apavorado Spanish: pavorido Spanish: espavorido Spanish: despavorido Spanish: empavorecido Thai: น่ากลัว Thai: น่าหวาดพะวง Turkish: dehşetli Turkish: dehşet verici Turkish: korkunç Turkish: ürkünç Turkish: ürkütücü
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