awful

[ aw-fuhl ]
See synonyms for awful on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. extremely bad; unpleasant; ugly: awful paintings; an awful job.

  2. inspiring fear; dreadful; terrible: an awful noise.

  1. solemnly impressive; inspiring awe: the awful majesty of alpine peaks.

  2. full of awe; reverential.

  3. extremely dangerous, risky, injurious, etc.: That was an awful fall she had. He took an awful chance by driving here so fast.

adverb
  1. Informal. very; extremely: He did an awful good job of painting the barn. It's awful hot in here.

Origin of awful

1
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English a(g)heful, aueful; awe + -ful; replacing Old English egefull “dreadful”

confusables note For awful

Although some object to any use of awful or awfully in any sense not connected with a feeling of awe, both have been used in other senses for several centuries. Awful and awfully as adverbial intensifiers— awful ( ly ) hot; awful ( ly ) cold —appear in the early 19th century, following much the same pattern as horribly and dreadfully. As an adverb awful is less formal in tone than awfully. In the sense “inspiring awe or fear” awesome has largely replaced awful.

Other words from awful

  • aw·ful·ness, noun
  • quasi-awful, adjective
  • qua·si-aw·ful·ly, adverb
  • un·aw·ful, adjective
  • un·aw·ful·ness, noun

Words that may be confused with awful

  • 1. awful , offal
  • 2. awful , awesome (see confusables note at the current entry)

Words Nearby awful

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use awful in a sentence

  • But when you are there, the awful secret of conspiracy will not be revealed in caverns, dungeons, and darkness.

  • I begged him to come down here, but he wouldn't—says that his hand is no longer steady enough to hold a gun—it's awful!

    Ancestors | Gertrude Atherton
  • It burst upon them ere long with awful fury and grandeur, the elements warring with incredible vehemence.

    Hunting the Lions | R.M. Ballantyne
  • "I declare, wife, that was an awful accident over to the mills," said Mr. Slocum.

  • Bubby, why don't you go home and have your mother sew up that awful hole in your trowsers?

British Dictionary definitions for awful

awful

/ (ˈɔːfʊl) /


adjective
  1. very bad; unpleasant

  2. archaic inspiring reverence or dread

  1. archaic overcome with awe; reverential

adverb
  1. not standard (intensifier): an awful cold day

Origin of awful

1
C13: see awe, -ful

Derived forms of awful

  • awfulness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012