Awful (Adjective)
Meaning 1
Extreme in degree or extent or amount or impact; "in a frightful hurry"; "spent a frightful amount of money".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Usages
Examples
- She got into an awful temper after waiting two hours in the doctor's waiting room.
- They played awful jazz during dinner that none of us liked and pretended not to be disturbing our clients on Saturday mornings.
- The heavy bag smelt just awful having containing what for no matter my luggage inside back packed about right thing almost until whole head noose body fallen front very moving swiftly rapid got scared hard many around scared than caught a speed under enough them something if worse possible less off hand think awful fast everything another the away both away myself found extremely better yet next we seen kept if stopped coming falling how actually quick every moved found having same everyone feel a made already under most started making put looked by through where better without want enough those scared move able need first everyone gave tried here quickly when want but here made really off on once no some even be quite near want most came less away heard ran and being under looked want the get took at and about have enough getting but of given would that looked like best from really I looked no better far from was I ever.
- The air was thick with awful pollution that made our lungs ache.
- He ran over a nail on the awful road with holes everywhere and popped his tire.
Synonyms
Meaning 2
Offensive or even (of persons) malicious; "in a nasty mood"; "a nasty accident"; "a nasty shock"; "a nasty smell"; "a nasty trick to pull"; "Will he say nasty things at my funeral?"- Ezra Pound.
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- She made some nasty comments about my new haircut, trying to make me feel self-conscious.
- The customer was in a nasty mood and complained about everything on the menu.
- The city was hit by a nasty storm that caused widespread power outages.
- He played a nasty trick on his brother by hiding his phone and watching him search the whole house for it.
- The gossip column published some nasty rumors about the celebrity couple's marriage problems.
Synonyms
Related Words
Meaning 3
Exceptionally bad or displeasing; "atrocious taste"; "abominable workmanship"; "an awful voice"; "dreadful manners"; "a painful performance"; "terrible handwriting"; "an unspeakable odor came sweeping into the room".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The hotel room was in an awful state of disrepair, with broken furniture and stained carpets.
- Her awful cooking was legendary among her friends, who would often joke about the inedible dishes she would serve.
- The movie was so awful that we walked out of the theater after only 20 minutes.
- The smell of rotten fish was awful and made it hard to enjoy the beach.
- The company's awful customer service was the final straw that led to my decision to cancel my subscription.
Synonyms
Related Words
Meaning 4
Causing fear or dread or terror; "the awful war"; "an awful risk"; "dire news"; "a career or vengeance so direful that London was shocked"; "the dread presence of the headmaster"; "polio is no longer the dreaded disease it once was"; "a dreadful storm"; "a fearful howling"; "horrendous explosions shook the city"; "a terrible curse".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The awful consequences of the hurricane left the city in ruins.
- The thought of public speaking is awful for many people, causing them to freeze up with fear.
- The awful truth about the company's financial situation was finally revealed to the employees.
- The awful howling of the wolves in the darkness sent shivers down their spines.
- The awful prospect of being trapped in the elevator for hours was too much to bear.
Synonyms
Related Words
Meaning 5
Inspiring awe or admiration or wonder; "New York is an amazing city"; "the Grand Canyon is an awe-inspiring sight"; "the awesome complexity of the universe"; "this sea, whose gently awful stirrings seem to speak of some hidden soul beneath"- Melville; "Westminster Hall's awing majesty, so vast, so high, so silent".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The ancient pyramids are an awful testament to the ingenuity of the Egyptians.
- The awful beauty of the Northern Lights left me speechless.
- The awful complexity of the human brain is still not fully understood.
- The awful power of the ocean was on full display during the storm.
- The awful majesty of the mountain range stretched out before us as we climbed.
Synonyms
Meaning 6
Inspired by a feeling of fearful wonderment or reverence; "awed by the silence"; "awful worshippers with bowed heads".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The tourists stood in awful silence as they gazed up at the towering cathedral.
- The crowd was awful with reverence as the Pope stepped out onto the balcony.
- The ancient ruins inspired an awful sense of wonder in the archaeologists.
- The judge's stern expression was awful to behold, striking fear into the hearts of the defendants.
- The natural beauty of the Grand Canyon was awful in its sheer scale and majesty.