What is another word for awful?
Synonyms for awful
ˈɔ fəlaw·ful
This thesaurus page includes all potential synonyms, words with the same meaning and similar terms for the word awful.
English Synonyms and Antonyms
awful
Awful should not be used of things which are merely disagreeable or annoying, nor of all that are alarming and terrible, but only of such as bring a solemn awe upon the soul, as in the presence of a superior power; as, the awful hush before the battle. That which is awful arouses an oppressive, that which is august an admiring reverence; we speak of the august presence of a mighty monarch, the awful presence of death. We speak of an exalted station, a grand mountain, an imposing presence, a majestic cathedral, a noble mien, a solemn litany, a stately march, an august assembly, the awful scene of the Judgment Day.
Synonyms:
alarming, appalling, august, dire, direful, dread, dreadful, fearful, frightful, grand, horrible, imposing, majestic, noble, portentous, shocking, solemn, stately, terrible, terrificAntonyms:
base, beggarly, commonplace, contemptible, despicable, humble, inferior, lowly, mean, paltry, undignified, vulgar
Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms
awful
Synonyms:
fearful, direful, appalling, terrible, alarming, dreadful, horrible, solemn, portentous, horrificAntonyms:
inocuous, informidable, unimposing, unastonishing, commonplace, unnoticeable, unalarming, alluring
Princeton's WordNet
atrocious, abominable, awful, dreadful, painful, terrible, unspeakableadjective
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"
Synonyms:
irritating, dreadful, indescribable, indefinable, sore, odious, unnameable, execrable, horrifying, frightful, amazing, horrendous, severe, tremendous, dreaded, dire, afflictive, flagitious, grievous, monstrous, atrocious, ineffable, painful, detestable, awing, awed, wicked, dread(a), awe-inspiring, unspeakable, horrific, nasty, terrible, horrible, abominable, frightening, unutterable, awesome, fearsome, fearful, direful, untellable, uglyAntonyms:
ordinary, unimpressive, good, irreverent, unalarmingawful, dire, direful, dread(a), dreaded, dreadful, fearful, fearsome, frightening, horrendous, horrific, terribleadjective
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"
Antonyms:
ordinary, unalarming, good, irreverent, unimpressivenasty, awfuladjective
offensive or even (of persons) malicious
"in 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?"- Ezra Pound
Synonyms:
frightful, dread(a), cruddy, smutty, tight, terrible, amazing, horrific, filthy, awed, fearful, nasty, abominable, unspeakable, horrendous, foul, atrocious, tremendous, dreaded, awe-inspiring, awing, dreadful, direful, awesome, frightening, dire, painful, fearsomeAntonyms:
irreverent, ordinary, unalarming, unimpressive, goodawed, awfuladjective
inspired by a feeling of fearful wonderment or reverence
"awed by the silence"; "awful worshippers with bowed heads"
Synonyms:
frightful, dread(a), fearsome, frightening, terrible, amazing, horrific, dreaded, awed, fearful, nasty, abominable, unspeakable, horrendous, awestricken, awe-inspiring, atrocious, tremendous, awing, dreadful, direful, awestruck, awesome, dire, painfulAntonyms:
good, irreverent, unalarming, unimpressive, ordinaryfrightful, terrible, awful, tremendousadjective
extreme in degree or extent or amount or impact
"in a frightful hurry"; "spent a frightful amount of money"
Synonyms:
dreadful, enormous, marvelous, wondrous, rattling(a), frightful, amazing, horrendous, severe, tremendous, dreaded, dire, wonderful, grand, marvellous, atrocious, painful, horrifying, awing, awed, wicked, horrific, dread(a), awe-inspiring, unspeakable, fearful, nasty, terrible, horrible, abominable, fantastic, frightening, terrific, awesome, fearsome, howling(a), direful, uglyAntonyms:
good, irreverent, unimpressive, unalarming, ordinaryamazing, awe-inspiring, awesome, awful, awingadverb
inspiring awe or admiration or wonder
"New 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"- Melville; "Westminster Hall's awing majesty, so vast, so high, so silent"
Synonyms:
awesome, dread(a), fearsome, frightening, terrible, frightful, amazing, horrific, dreaded, awed, fearful, nasty, abominable, unspeakable, horrendous, awe-inspiring, atrocious, tremendous, astonishing, awing, dreadful, direful, dire, painfulAntonyms:
irreverent, good, unalarming, ordinary, unimpressiveterribly, awfully, awful, frightfullyadverb
used as intensifiers
"terribly interesting"; "I'm awful sorry"
Synonyms:
abominably, rottenly, frightfully, dreadfully, atrociously, abysmally, terribly, awfully, horriblyAntonyms:
irreverent, unimpressive, ordinary, unalarming, good
Editors Contribution
appalling
when you get astounded or you get feared by a horrific thing
the sight of black cat appalled me.
Submitted by rinat on August 19, 2019hellified
the accident was hellified. the outfit that girl was wearing was hellified. in urban lifestyle, it could mean it was good or bad, ( out of this world, sharp or offer). extreme.
Submitted by EJPraise on January 29, 2022
Dictionary of English Synonymes
Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated Words
Words popularity by usage frequency
How to use awful in a sentence?
These victims were completely dependent on others for day-to-day care, which their families trusted Whetstone Gardens to provide. Instead of providing that care, evidence shows these nurses forced the victims to endure awful mistreatment and then lied about it.
The outlook for 2016 is awful, in a recession like this, companies are protecting their cash.
It’s awful that there are people that would stoop to this, but just to see the outpouring of goodness has been heartwarming. We went through one our darkest days as a family, only to be met with support from multiple communities.
Awful news pours in when you work at a news station, but this is the first to hit home, my [Tennis Canada] family lost one of its brightest lights [and] biggest hearts in Anne Marie D’Amico. I’m devastated for her family … a big, loving, tight-knit group. No words for this tragedy.
You sort of pose as an enlightened helper to the public debate ... And that the wicked awful tax system across the world somehow just happened to Google, whereas actually you’ve made a choice to avoid tax and set up structures specifically so to do.
Translations for awful
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- horrorósCatalan, Valencian
- ofnadwyWelsh
- schrecklich, furchtbarGerman
- απαίσιοςGreek
- aĉaEsperanto
- horrible, atroz, terribleSpanish
- hämmästyttävä, hirvittävä, hirveä, kamala, kaamea, mahtava, kauhistuttava, jumalaapelkäävä, hämmästynyt, kauhea, karmea, lainkuuliainenFinnish
- épouvantable, terrible, horribleFrench
- sgriosailScottish Gaelic
- भयंकरHindi
- mengerikanIndonesian
- orribileItalian
- 最悪Japanese
- grusom, forferdeligNorwegian
- hóyééʼNavajo, Navaho
- péssimo, horrível, temível, medonho, terrível, apavorantePortuguese
- teribil, îngrozitor, înfiorător, impresionant, atroce, oribilRomanian
- ужасающий, ужасный, устрашающийRussian
- மோசமானTamil
- berbatTurkish
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"awful." Synonyms.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 26 Apr. 2024. <https://www.synonyms.com/synonym/awful>.
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