# dreadful

/ˈdɹɛdfəɫ/ (US) · /dɹˈɛdfəl/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. very bad or unpleasant

adjective · CEFR B2

extremely bad, low quality, or very unpleasant.

For teachers: extremely disagreeable, shocking, or of very poor quality.

- The weather was absolutely dreadful, so we stayed inside all day.
- The performance was truly dreadful, characterized by missed cues and a complete lack of chemistry between the lead actors.

### 2. causing fear or awe

adjective · CEFR C1 · Literary

causing a feeling of great fear or respect.

For teachers: inspiring dread, awe, or apprehension; often used in a literary context to describe something powerful and frightening.

- The army faced a dreadful challenge as they crossed the mountains.
- The explorer spoke of the dreadful silence of the arctic wastes, where the only sound was the shifting of the ice.

### 3. extremely

adverb · CEFR C1 · Informal · British English

used to mean 'very' or 'extremely' when you are talking about something bad.

For teachers: functioning as an intensifier meaning 'extremely' or 'very'; typically modifies adjectives with negative connotations.

- I am dreadful sorry for being so late to the dinner.
- He looked dreadful pale after the accident, though the doctors assured us his injuries were minor.

Usage: Usually placed before an adjective.

### 4. cheap sensational stories

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

a cheap book or newspaper from the past that told shocking stories about crimes.

For teachers: a sensationalist or lurid publication, typically from the 19th century, focusing on crime and horror.

- The young boy spent his coins on a dreadful filled with ghost stories.
- Victorian critics often condemned the 'penny dreadful' for its supposed corrupting influence on the working-class youth of London.

## Examples

- The weather today is absolutely dreadful.
- We had a dreadful experience at the hotel because the room was dirty and loud.
- The critic described the performance as a dreadful waste of talent, citing the poor script and uninspired direction as the primary failures.

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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.