1
a
: inspiring dread (see dread entry 2 sense 1a) : causing great and oppressive fear
a dreadful attack
2
: extremely bad, distasteful, unpleasant, or shocking
a dreadful idea
a dreadful performance
dreadful behavior
The food was absolutely dreadful.
3
: extreme
dreadful disorder
publishing
: a cheap and sensational (see sensational sense 2) story or periodical
Examples of dreadful in a Sentence
Adjective
Her performance was absolutely dreadful.
Those children have such dreadful manners.
Recent Examples on the Web
Dave Lawler, Axios, 24 Feb. 2025
Crochet enjoyed a breakout season in an otherwise dreadful year for the 121-loss White Sox, posting a 3.58 ERA with 209 strikeouts and just 33 walks across 32 starts.
—D.j. Short, NBC News, 24 Feb. 2025
Tony Morley, Time, 28 Dec. 2022
The comical bumps up against the chaotic, the domestic beats back the dreadful.
—Ed Stockly, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2022
See All Example Sentences for dreadful
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Adjective
Conditions for the civilians remaining in areas occupied by Russia are often dreadful.
—Dave Lawler, Axios, 24 Feb. 2025
Crochet enjoyed a breakout season in an otherwise dreadful year for the 121-loss White Sox, posting a 3.58 ERA with 209 strikeouts and just 33 walks across 32 starts.
—D.j. Short, NBC News, 24 Feb. 2025
Noun
In 1989, there were 892,055 cases of Guinea worm disease, a dreadful and debilitating waterborne parasitic infection historically endemic to Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.
—Tony Morley, Time, 28 Dec. 2022
The comical bumps up against the chaotic, the domestic beats back the dreadful.
—Ed Stockly, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2022
See All Example Sentences for dreadful
Cite this Entry
“Dreadful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dreadful. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
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