Synonyms for awful
ˈɔ fəlaw·ful

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. 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, terrific

   Antonyms:
   base, beggarly, commonplace, contemptible, despicable, humble, inferior, lowly, mean, paltry, undignified, vulgar

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. awful

   Synonyms:
   fearful, direful, appalling, terrible, alarming, dreadful, horrible, solemn, portentous, horrific

   Antonyms:
   inocuous, informidable, unimposing, unastonishing, commonplace, unnoticeable, unalarming, alluring

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. 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, ugly

   Antonyms:
   ordinary, unimpressive, good, irreverent, unalarming

2. awful, 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, unimpressive

3. nasty, 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, fearsome

   Antonyms:
   irreverent, ordinary, unalarming, unimpressive, good

4. awed, 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, painful

   Antonyms:
   good, irreverent, unalarming, unimpressive, ordinary

5. frightful, 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, ugly

   Antonyms:
   good, irreverent, unimpressive, unalarming, ordinary

6. amazing, 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, painful

   Antonyms:
   irreverent, good, unalarming, ordinary, unimpressive

7. terribly, awfully, awful, frightfullyadverb

   used as intensifiers

   "terribly interesting"; "I'm awful sorry"

   Synonyms:
   abominably, rottenly, frightfully, dreadfully, atrociously, abysmally, terribly, awfully, horribly

   Antonyms:
   irreverent, unimpressive, ordinary, unalarming, good

Editors ContributionRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. 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, 2019  

2. hellified

   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 SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. awfuladjective

   Synonyms:
   venerable, august, grand, stately, imposing, solemn, majestic

2. awfuladjective

   Synonyms:
   dread, dreadful, fearful, horrible, horrid, terrible, dire, direful, frightful, appalling, tremendous

3. awfuladjective

   Synonyms:
   [Vulgar.] ugly, homely, unsightly, ill-looking

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:1.0 / 1 vote

1. awfuladjective

   Synonyms:
   appalling, terrible, dreadful, frightful, grewsome, horrible, shocking, heinous, flagrant, awe-inspiring, majestic, (Slang) immoderate, great, serious, flagrant, egregious, excessive

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "awful":

   horrible, terrible, dreadful, horrific, appalling, hideous, ugly, horrendous, horrid, horrifying, atrocious, ghastly, gruesome, heinous, abhorrent, dog-ugly, god-awful, creepy, dire, abominable, bad, horror, dorky, nasty, scary, excruciating, terrifying, kamala

How to pronounce awful?

How to say awful in sign language?

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

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Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use awful in a sentence?

1. Minna Antrim:

   When a woman is very, very bad, she is awful, but when a man is correspondingly good, he is weird.

2. John Dowd:

   It's been an awful two years, in my opinion wholly unjustified.

3. Ian Poulter:

   I'm pretty pleased with the golf I've played throughout the whole of today, i haven't really made many mistakes at all. I've put it in position an awful lot, which is encouraging right now. And If I do that tomorrow, then I'm going to be in a good position.

4. Police Chief Charlie Beck:

   I think that this is an awful tragedy, but the officers took -- on the face of it -- reasonable steps to avoid it. Had the individual not grabbed the officer's pistol, certainly we would not be having this discussion.

5. Gregory Jack:

   If they’ve never had a stone before, if it’s on the right side they always think it’s a burst appendix. If it’s on the left, they come in thinking it’s a heart attack. They’re that awful, they’re that painful.