Dread·ful a.
1. Full of dread or terror; fearful. [Obs.] “With dreadful heart.”
2. Inspiring dread; impressing great fear; fearful; terrible; as, a dreadful storm. “ Dreadful gloom.”
For all things are less dreadful than they seem. --Wordsworth.
3. Inspiring awe or reverence; awful. [Obs.] “God's dreadful law.”
Syn: -- Fearful; frightful; terrific; terrible; horrible; horrid; formidable; tremendous; awful; venerable. See Frightful.
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dreadful
adj 1: causing fear or dread or terror; "the 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" [syn: awful, dire, direful, dread(a), dreaded,
fearful, fearsome, frightening, horrendous, horrific,
terrible]
2: exceptionally bad or displeasing; "atrocious taste";
"abominable workmanship"; "an awful voice"; "dreadful
manners"; "a painful performance"; "terrible handwriting";
"an unspeakable odor came sweeping into the room" [syn: atrocious,
abominable, awful, painful, terrible, unspeakable]
3: very unpleasant