# dire

/ˈdaɪɝ/ (US) · /dˈaɪə/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/dire
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. very serious or urgent

adjective · CEFR B2

very serious or bad; used to describe a situation where something terrible might happen if you do not act.

For teachers: characterised by extreme danger or urgency; portending disastrous consequences if immediate action is not taken.

- The charity warned that the country is in dire need of food and clean water.
- The report issued a dire warning about the ecological consequences of continued deforestation in the region.

Usage: Commonly collocates with 'straits', 'need', 'consequences', or 'warning'.

### 2. extremely poor quality

adjective · CEFR C1 · Informal · British English

very bad, boring, or of low quality.

For teachers: extremely poor in quality; used as a strong pejorative to describe performances, weather, or objects.

- The acting in that movie was absolutely dire.
- We had to leave the concert early because the sound quality was dire and the lead singer was out of tune.

Teaching tip: This sense is particularly common in British English to express strong disappointment.

## Examples

- The company is in dire need of new investment.
- The local hospital is facing a dire shortage of staff after the recent budget cuts.
- Climate scientists have issued a dire warning that failing to reduce carbon emissions immediately will lead to irreversible environmental damage within the next decade.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.