dire
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
very serious or bad; used to describe a situation where something terrible might happen if you do not act.
characterised by extreme danger or urgency; portending disastrous consequences if immediate action is not taken.
Simple“The charity warned that the country is in dire need of food and clean water.”
In context“The report issued a dire warning about the ecological consequences of continued deforestation in the region.”
UsageCommonly collocates with 'straits', 'need', 'consequences', or 'warning'.
- 02 C1 Advanced
very bad, boring, or of low quality.
extremely poor in quality; used as a strong pejorative to describe performances, weather, or objects.
Simple“The acting in that movie was absolutely dire.”
In context“We had to leave the concert early because the sound quality was dire and the lead singer was out of tune.”
Teacher's tipThis sense is particularly common in British English to express strong disappointment.
Usage dire conditions
“Mothers and their children are in dire need of food and safety in Sudan’s conflict-stricken Kordofan State.”