Dreadful
adjective
Terrible, causing fear or shock.
It was a dreadful storm last night.
Often appears as...
- a dreadful sight
- a dreadful day
adjective
Very bad or low in quality.
They did a dreadful job painting the house.
Often appears as...
- dreadful performance
- dreadful mistake
adjective
Terrible, causing fear or shock.
It was a dreadful storm last night.
Often appears as...
- a dreadful sight
- a dreadful day
adjective
Very bad or low in quality.
They did a dreadful job painting the house.
Often appears as...
- dreadful performance
- dreadful mistake
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Conveys Horror
Use 'dreadful' to describe something extremely unpleasant, shocking, or frightening.
After the accident, the scene was simply dreadful.
Pro Tip 2/3Strong Emotion
'Dreadful' suggests a very strong negative emotion, more than just 'bad' or 'unpleasant'.
Her injury was dreadful, leaving everyone stunned.
Pro Tip 3/3Intensity Marker
'Dreadful' is often used to emphasize the seriousness of a situation or event.
The news reported a dreadful epidemic spreading rapidly.
Pro Tip 1/3Conveys Horror
Use 'dreadful' to describe something extremely unpleasant, shocking, or frightening.
After the accident, the scene was simply dreadful.
Pro Tip 2/3Strong Emotion
'Dreadful' suggests a very strong negative emotion, more than just 'bad' or 'unpleasant'.
Her injury was dreadful, leaving everyone stunned.
Pro Tip 3/3Intensity Marker
'Dreadful' is often used to emphasize the seriousness of a situation or event.
The news reported a dreadful epidemic spreading rapidly.
Pro Tip 1/3Conveys Horror
Use 'dreadful' to describe something extremely unpleasant, shocking, or frightening.
After the accident, the scene was simply dreadful.
Pro Tip 2/3Strong Emotion
'Dreadful' suggests a very strong negative emotion, more than just 'bad' or 'unpleasant'.
Her injury was dreadful, leaving everyone stunned.
Pro Tip 3/3Intensity Marker
'Dreadful' is often used to emphasize the seriousness of a situation or event.
The news reported a dreadful epidemic spreading rapidly.
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Video examples
Bring on the learning...
It was in front of the whole class and I felt dreadful. But it's what I wanted, and as soon as I left school, I applied to the fire service and I was accepted. You know, I was thinking about that guy recently, just a few minutes ago when you were speaking, about this teacher, because six months ago, I saved his life."
Video examples
Bring on the learning...
It was in front of the whole class and I felt dreadful. But it's what I wanted, and as soon as I left school, I applied to the fire service and I was accepted. You know, I was thinking about that guy recently, just a few minutes ago when you were speaking, about this teacher, because six months ago, I saved his life."
Video examples
Attenborough Finds a...
most Madagascar's they believe it to be extremely dangerous so they say it has such a powerful evil spirit but if you merely brush up against one accidentally the only way you can rid yourself of its taint and prevent the dreadful consequences of touching it is to cut
Video examples
A digital reimagining of...
to figure out what he could and couldn't see. I think it helps explain his decision. Why? Because from his point of view, the federals were very weak. He was attacking at the logical place, but without full knowledge, he set his men out for a dreadful defeat.
Video examples
How America's public...
For years, I tried desperately to cultivate in my kids a love of reading. I'd amassed a modest classroom library of books I'd accumulated from secondhand shops, thrift stores, attics -- you know. But whenever I said those dreadful words,
Video examples
Princess Diana's Funeral...
to it with great interest. Since last Sunday's dreadful news, we have seen throughout Britain and around the world an overwhelming expression of sadness of Diana's death. So what I say to you now as your queen and as a grandmother
Video examples
The riddle of experience...
after one of my lectures reported a story, and that was a story -- He said he'd been listening to a symphony, and it was absolutely glorious music and at the very end of the recording, there was a dreadful screeching sound.
Video examples
The era of higher ideals...
trust big business that is dreadful and by the way that number is number is similar in other countries around the world 30% of people feel engaged passionate energized and bring their whole selves to work again a dreadful
Video examples
How to speak so that...
and she said, "I know, isn't it dreadful?" It's hard to listen when somebody's that negative. And another form of negativity, complaining. Well, this is the national art of the U.K. It's our national sport.
Video examples
Emily Ainsworth: Inside...
Jeter after he'd broken his back on the trapeze but as I said by the time I joined the circus Dumbo was elderly and she had dreadful PMS she used to get horrendous hormonal moods and
Video examples
Bring on the learning...
It was in front of the whole class and I felt dreadful. But it's what I wanted, and as soon as I left school, I applied to the fire service and I was accepted. You know, I was thinking about that guy recently, just a few minutes ago when you were speaking, about this teacher, because six months ago, I saved his life."
Video examples
Bring on the learning...
It was in front of the whole class and I felt dreadful. But it's what I wanted, and as soon as I left school, I applied to the fire service and I was accepted. You know, I was thinking about that guy recently, just a few minutes ago when you were speaking, about this teacher, because six months ago, I saved his life."
Video examples
Attenborough Finds a...
most Madagascar's they believe it to be extremely dangerous so they say it has such a powerful evil spirit but if you merely brush up against one accidentally the only way you can rid yourself of its taint and prevent the dreadful consequences of touching it is to cut
Video examples
A digital reimagining of...
to figure out what he could and couldn't see. I think it helps explain his decision. Why? Because from his point of view, the federals were very weak. He was attacking at the logical place, but without full knowledge, he set his men out for a dreadful defeat.
Video examples
How America's public...
For years, I tried desperately to cultivate in my kids a love of reading. I'd amassed a modest classroom library of books I'd accumulated from secondhand shops, thrift stores, attics -- you know. But whenever I said those dreadful words,
Video examples
Princess Diana's Funeral...
to it with great interest. Since last Sunday's dreadful news, we have seen throughout Britain and around the world an overwhelming expression of sadness of Diana's death. So what I say to you now as your queen and as a grandmother
Video examples
The riddle of experience...
after one of my lectures reported a story, and that was a story -- He said he'd been listening to a symphony, and it was absolutely glorious music and at the very end of the recording, there was a dreadful screeching sound.
Video examples
The era of higher ideals...
trust big business that is dreadful and by the way that number is number is similar in other countries around the world 30% of people feel engaged passionate energized and bring their whole selves to work again a dreadful
Video examples
How to speak so that...
and she said, "I know, isn't it dreadful?" It's hard to listen when somebody's that negative. And another form of negativity, complaining. Well, this is the national art of the U.K. It's our national sport.
Video examples
Emily Ainsworth: Inside...
Jeter after he'd broken his back on the trapeze but as I said by the time I joined the circus Dumbo was elderly and she had dreadful PMS she used to get horrendous hormonal moods and
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Jane Goldman
English Writer
I really enjoy the company of my kids... I'm not one of those people who goes 'Yeah, my kids are my mates', that's a dreadful kind of mother, but I'm fortunate that there are times that they do want me around, and I feel lucky that they let me into their world.
Quote examples
Gerald Vizenor
American Writer
The idea of victimage is a dreadful thing, a product of a safe middle-class perspective. What people who are not safe develop is a tragic wisdom, a wisdom that embraces contradiction and seeks a sense of balance rather than going to extremes.
Quote examples
Jonathan Dimbleby
British Writer
I have a great deal of joy in my life, and I'm very fortunate. That combination makes you aware of just how wonderful life can be on the one hand and how dreadful it can be for people on the other. You can't be happy in isolation.
Quote examples
James Baldwin
American Novelist
There are few things more dreadful than dealing with a man who knows he is going under, in his own eyes, and in the eyes of others. Nothing can help that man. What is left of that man flees from what is left of human attention.
Quote examples
June Whitfield
English Actress
I've taken a personal trainer once a week because I'm dreadful. I don't exercise; I don't walk about an awful lot because my feet hurt, so I thought it was a good idea. It makes you move bits you otherwise might not.
Quote examples
Louisa May Alcott
American Novelist
People don't have fortunes left them in that style nowadays; men have to work and women to marry for money. It's a dreadfully unjust world.
Quote examples
Horatio Nelson
British Admiral
My character and good name are in my own keeping. Life with disgrace is dreadful. A glorious death is to be envied.
Quote examples
Friedrich Schiller
German Dramatist
Revenge is barren of itself: it is the dreadful food it feeds on; its delight is murder, and its end is despair.
Quote examples
Jules Renard
French Dramatist
The danger of success is that it makes us forget the world's dreadful injustice.
Quote examples
Sophocles
Greek Poet
How dreadful knowledge of the truth can be when there's no help in the truth.
Quote examples
Jane Goldman
English Writer
I really enjoy the company of my kids... I'm not one of those people who goes 'Yeah, my kids are my mates', that's a dreadful kind of mother, but I'm fortunate that there are times that they do want me around, and I feel lucky that they let me into their world.
Quote examples
Gerald Vizenor
American Writer
The idea of victimage is a dreadful thing, a product of a safe middle-class perspective. What people who are not safe develop is a tragic wisdom, a wisdom that embraces contradiction and seeks a sense of balance rather than going to extremes.
Quote examples
Jonathan Dimbleby
British Writer
I have a great deal of joy in my life, and I'm very fortunate. That combination makes you aware of just how wonderful life can be on the one hand and how dreadful it can be for people on the other. You can't be happy in isolation.
Quote examples
James Baldwin
American Novelist
There are few things more dreadful than dealing with a man who knows he is going under, in his own eyes, and in the eyes of others. Nothing can help that man. What is left of that man flees from what is left of human attention.
Quote examples
June Whitfield
English Actress
I've taken a personal trainer once a week because I'm dreadful. I don't exercise; I don't walk about an awful lot because my feet hurt, so I thought it was a good idea. It makes you move bits you otherwise might not.
Quote examples
Louisa May Alcott
American Novelist
People don't have fortunes left them in that style nowadays; men have to work and women to marry for money. It's a dreadfully unjust world.
Quote examples
Horatio Nelson
British Admiral
My character and good name are in my own keeping. Life with disgrace is dreadful. A glorious death is to be envied.
Quote examples
Friedrich Schiller
German Dramatist
Revenge is barren of itself: it is the dreadful food it feeds on; its delight is murder, and its end is despair.
Quote examples
Jules Renard
French Dramatist
The danger of success is that it makes us forget the world's dreadful injustice.
Quote examples
Sophocles
Greek Poet
How dreadful knowledge of the truth can be when there's no help in the truth.
Example 1 of 10
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