dreadful

Reading level: medium

Estimated CEFR level: A2 — Elementary

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. adjective causing fear or dread or terror
  2. adjective exceptionally bad or displeasing
  3. adjective very unpleasant

Etymology

From Middle English dredful, dredfull, dredeful (also dreful). By surface analysis, dread + -ful.

In classic literature

Synonyms

awful, dire, direful, dread, dreaded, fearful, fearsome, frightening, horrendous, horrific, terrible

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