English · Adjectives

dreadful

/ˈdredfʊl/

[/ˈdredfʊl/]

extremely bad

Advancedadjective

Definition

Extremely bad, unpleasant, or shocking.

Example

She had a dreadful headache all day and could not concentrate on her work.

She had a dreadful headache all day and could not concentrate on her work.

Etymology

From Middle English 'dread' plus '-ful', meaning 'full of dread'.

How & Where It’s Used

Common in British English for very bad or unpleasant things.

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