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English adjective: awful

1. awful exceptionally bad or displeasing


SamplesAtrocious taste.
Abominable workmanship.
An awful voice.
Dreadful manners.
A painful performance.
Terrible handwriting.
An unspeakable odor came sweeping into the room.


Synonymsabominable, atrocious, dreadful, painful, terrible, unspeakable


Similarbad


Antonymsgood

2. awful causing fear or dread or terror


SamplesThe 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.


Synonymsdire, direful, dread, dreaded, dreadful, fearful, fearsome, frightening, horrendous, horrific, terrible


Similaralarming


Antonymsunalarming

3. awful offensive or even (of persons) malicious


SamplesIn a nasty mood.
A nasty accident.
A nasty shock.
A nasty smell.
A nasty trick to pull.
Will he say nasty things at my funeral?.


Synonymsnasty


Similardirty, filthy, grotty, hateful, lousy, mean


See alsounpleasant


Attributenastiness


Antonymsnice

4. awful inspired by a feeling of fearful wonderment or reverence


SamplesAwed by the silence.
Awful worshippers with bowed heads.


Synonymsawed


Similarreverent


Antonymsirreverent

5. awful extreme in degree or extent or amount or impact


SamplesIn a frightful hurry.
Spent a frightful amount of money.


Synonymsfrightful, terrible, tremendous


Similarextraordinary


Domain usagecolloquialism


Antonymsordinary

6. awful inspiring awe or admiration or wonder


SamplesNew York is an amazing city.
The Grand Canyon is an awe-inspiring sight.
The awesome complexity of the universe.
This sea, whose gently awful stirrings seem to speak of some hidden soul beneath.
Westminster Hall's awing majesty, so vast, so high, so silent.


Synonymsamazing, awe-inspiring, awesome, awing


Similarimpressive


Antonymsunimpressive


English adverb: awful

1. awful used as intensifiers


SamplesTerribly interesting.
I'm awful sorry.


Synonymsawfully, frightfully, terribly


Domain usagecolloquialism









Based on WordNet 3.0 copyright © Princeton University.
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