Synonyms for awful
ˈɔ fəlaw·ful

English Synonyms and Antonyms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

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 Antonyms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

1. awful

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

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

Princeton's WordNet(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

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 Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

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 Synonymes(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

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 Words(1.00 / 1 vote)Rate these synonyms:

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 database(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these paraphrases:

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

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How to use awful in a sentence?

1. Diana Foley:

   We are offended that that awful image of our son's brutal murder be used publicly, to tweet it again just continues to promote their propaganda - the horrible way they recruit others who want to be brutal. I certainly do not want that to continue.

2. Joe Biden:

   Let's stop looking at COVID as a partisan dividing line and see it for what it is : a God-awful disease, let's stop seeing each other as enemies -- and start seeing each other for who we really are : fellow Americans.

3. Liberum Analyst Tom Gadsby:

   If you go back a couple of decades, it was a tired old raincoat brand and they have turned it into something very different and an awful lot more attractive and profitable.

4. Eddie Fisher fourth wife:

   Terry Richard had a big smile on Terry Richard face, i did n’t say anything, I did n’t want to cause a scene in front of everyone. My reaction was to slap Terry Richard in Terry Richard face, but Terry Richard was Terry Richard. It was awful.

5. Richard Ausness:

   Who wants to be accused of maintaining a public nuisance? It just sounds awful.