Synonyms for
Dreadful
Definition
causing or involving great fear or suffering; extremely bad or serious
Synonyms & similar words
Synonyms by register
Antonyms
Common collocations
- dreadful weather
- dreadful mistake
- dreadful news
- dreadful smell
- dreadful performance
- dreadful accident
- dreadful pain
Word family
Usage note
Dreadful is often used to describe something extremely bad or unpleasant, ranging from poor quality to something causing great fear or suffering. It carries a strong negative connotation.
Example sentences
- The storm caused dreadful damage to the town.
- I have a dreadful headache today.
- The food at the restaurant was dreadful.
- She had a dreadful fear of spiders.
- He was in a dreadful mood all day.
Quotes
The dread of evil is a much more forcible principle of human actions than the prospect of good. - John Locke
The fear of death is more to be dreaded than death itself. - Publilius Syrus
Dreadful will be the day when the world becomes contented, when one great universal satisfaction spreads itself over the world. Sad will be the day for every man when he becomes absolutely contented with the life that he is living, with the thoughts that he is thinking, with the deeds that he is doing, when there is not forever beating at the doors of his soul some great desire to do something larger, which he knows that he was meant and made to do. - Phillips Brooks