dreadful

[ˈdrɛdfəl]

dreadful Definition

  • 1causing or involving great suffering, fear, or unhappiness; extremely bad or serious
  • 2very unpleasant or shocking

Using dreadful: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "dreadful" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

  • Example

    The weather was absolutely dreadful.

  • Example

    The movie was a dreadful disappointment.

  • Example

    She had a dreadful feeling that something was wrong.

  • Example

    The company's financial situation is quite dreadful.

  • Example

    The food was simply dreadful.

dreadful Synonyms and Antonyms

Phrases with dreadful

  • a serious error or blunder

    Example

    He made a dreadful mistake by investing all his money in one stock.

  • news that is very upsetting or disturbing

    Example

    The family received dreadful news about the health of their loved one.

  • an uncomfortable or oppressive silence

    Example

    The room was filled with a dreadful silence after the argument.

Origins of dreadful

from Old English 'drēadful', meaning 'full of dread'

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Summary: dreadful in Brief

The term 'dreadful' [ˈdrɛdfəl] refers to something that is extremely bad, serious, unpleasant, or shocking. It can be used to describe situations, events, feelings, or things. Examples include 'The weather was absolutely dreadful,' and 'The company's financial situation is quite dreadful.' 'Dreadful' can also be used in phrases like 'dreadful mistake,' and 'dreadful news,' which denote serious errors or upsetting information.

How do native speakers use this expression?