1
a
: inspiring dread (see dread entry 2 sense 1a) : causing great and oppressive fear
a dreadful attack
2
: extremely bad, distasteful, unpleasant, or shocking
a dreadful idea
a dreadful performance
dreadful behavior
The food was absolutely dreadful.
3
: extreme
dreadful disorder
publishing
: a cheap and sensational (see sensational sense 2) story or periodical
Examples of dreadful in a Sentence
Adjective
Her performance was absolutely dreadful.
Those children have such dreadful manners.
Recent Examples on the Web
Terry Eliasen, CBS News, 28 May 2026
Looked great for 60 minutes on his second Villa debut in February, but has been dreadful for them ever since.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 26 May 2026
Tony Morley, Time, 28 Dec. 2022
The program is filled out with two original stories written by Novotny; including one with a character from a penny dreadful — the pulp fiction of the age.
—Annie Alleman, Chicago Tribune, 14 Sep. 2022
See All Example Sentences for dreadful
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Adjective
The old record of 51 degrees occurred five years ago during that dreadful Memorial Day weekend deluge.
—Terry Eliasen, CBS News, 28 May 2026
Looked great for 60 minutes on his second Villa debut in February, but has been dreadful for them ever since.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 26 May 2026
Noun
In 1989, there were 892,055 cases of Guinea worm disease, a dreadful and debilitating waterborne parasitic infection historically endemic to Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.
—Tony Morley, Time, 28 Dec. 2022
The program is filled out with two original stories written by Novotny; including one with a character from a penny dreadful — the pulp fiction of the age.
—Annie Alleman, Chicago Tribune, 14 Sep. 2022
See All Example Sentences for dreadful
Cite this Entry
“Dreadful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dreadful. Accessed 31 May. 2026.
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