1
as in ominous
being or showing a sign of evil or calamity to come
a dire forecast of a plunge in stock prices
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in terrifying
causing fear
a series of dire tremors that hinted at a huge volcanic eruption
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3
as in urgent
needing immediate attention
a dire need for food and medicine in the famine-stricken country
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4
as in bleak
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
with stock prices steadily falling, these are dire days on the trading floor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of dire
Obi-Wan must have fallen into some dire straits to end up looking like Guinness.
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Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 2 Nov. 2024
Knowing this, Arizona medical doctors and nurses joined together to share a message about the importance of supporting climate action at the polls this year for the well-being of residents exposed to some of the nation's highest temperatures, worst air pollution and most dire drought conditions.
—Joan Meiners, The Arizona Republic, 2 Nov. 2024
People in prisons often face especially dire conditions when extreme heat hits as facilities are ill-equipped for blazing temperatures.
—Minnah Arshad, USA TODAY, 1 Nov. 2024
Because the consequences, especially if someone is pushed out of the closet, could be dire.
—David Oliver, USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dire 
Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 2 Nov. 2024
Knowing this, Arizona medical doctors and nurses joined together to share a message about the importance of supporting climate action at the polls this year for the well-being of residents exposed to some of the nation's highest temperatures, worst air pollution and most dire drought conditions.
—Joan Meiners, The Arizona Republic, 2 Nov. 2024
People in prisons often face especially dire conditions when extreme heat hits as facilities are ill-equipped for blazing temperatures.
—Minnah Arshad, USA TODAY, 1 Nov. 2024
Because the consequences, especially if someone is pushed out of the closet, could be dire.
—David Oliver, USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dire
Adjective
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The early returns were ominous, and prospects did not improve from there.Vox Staff, Vox, 6 Nov. 2024
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The brief visual featured a snippet of the track — a few ominous piano notes with some percussion.Ilana Kaplan, People.com, 28 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Winters — who was so terrifying in Heroes of the Fourth Turning and who revealed a messy vulnerability behind Kerry Castellabate’s hard bangs and structured suits on Succession — is a pro at tough, slick surfaces with tangles of insecurity underneath.Sara Holdren, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2024
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Perusing the store’s shelves, there’s the usual lineup of Route 66 merch alongside a host of shirts bearing new and terrifying puns.Dan Sheehan, Rolling Stone, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Although drought is the most urgent threat, the Northeast is also broadly getting rainier as a result of climate change, because a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture.Denise Chow, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024
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And the need for more crew couldn’t be more urgent as Japan’s Visual Industry Promotion Organization (VIPO) revealed that ten projects have already been approved for the country’s new 50% location incentive.Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Some recipients responded to the texts with anger and others with a sense of humor, but many agree that the messages seem to be a bleak foreshadowing.Char Adams, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024
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The stock's fate hinges on the 2024 presidential election results, with potential appreciation if Trump wins, but a bleak outlook if Kamala Harris prevails.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Specifically, Bill becomes increasingly aware of young girls being held and abused by the nuns of his convent, led by a sinister mother superior, Sister Mary (played with dark-eyed, cold-hearted terror by Emily Watson).Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 5 Nov. 2024
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Elliot Page translates vitality and promise as the young teen, while a blood-freezing Catherine Keener is the sinister embodiment of resentment and cruelty.Declan Gallagher and Chris Bellamy, EW.com, 31 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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While Malloy's candidacy represents a clear challenge to Sanders' decades-long dominance in Vermont politics, the senator's enduring popularity and political influence remain formidable.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
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Jones, who died on Sunday night at 91 in Los Angeles, had already been a formidable impresario in music and TV for decades before pairing up with Jackson, a former child prodigy struggling with his pivot into adulthood.Andrew R. Chow, TIME, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Taurine supplements offer both acute and long-term health benefits.Jillian Kubala, RD, Health, 5 Nov. 2024
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Markets largely ignored the bad news, as the nonfarm payrolls report flagged acute climate and labor disruptions.Natasha Turak,Matt Clinch, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Loading your audio article The national election news was downright depressing for many in the Bay Area, but there was a lot of cause for celebration among local candidates Tuesday night.Sal Pizarro, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
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Dreadful game of the week: Cleveland Browns at Philadelphia Eagles — The Browns are just depressing, saddled with the debacle that is the acquisition of quarterback Deshaun Watson, whose numbers are just dreadful.Jim Reineking, USA TODAY, 11 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near dire
Cite this Entry
“Dire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dire. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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