dire
Americanadjective
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causing or involving great fear or suffering; dreadful; terrible.
a dire calamity.
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indicating trouble, disaster, misfortune, or the like.
dire predictions about the stock market.
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urgent; desperate.
in dire need of food.
adjective
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Also: direful. disastrous; fearful
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desperate; urgent
a dire need
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foreboding disaster; ominous
a dire warning
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of dire
First recorded in 1560–70, dire is from the Latin word dīrus fearful, unlucky
Explanation
Dire refers to situations or events that cause great fear and worry. A dire calamity causes much suffering. If a family is in dire need, they need immediate help. Dire predictions or warnings tell us that a disaster may happen in the future. If you are trapped between the burning building behind you and the high cliffs in front of you, you might describe yourself as being in dire straits.
Vocabulary lists containing dire
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 2
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"Macbeth" Vocabulary from Act I
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
When the Strait of Hormuz was closed in March, there were dire warnings of global economic consequences if it was still closed by June.
From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026
Key questions for investors concern whether the shortages will remain as dire as they are currently and how long the memory giants will be able to keep boosting prices to the benefit of their profits.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 8, 2026
Every bone, down to the last dire wolf rib, must be carefully sheathed in a custom foam shell.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026
It’s no wonder, then, that someone like Parsons can so deftly perceive and capture this dire reality, where we’ve been dropped into digital solitude after hundreds of years being physical creatures.
From Salon • May 30, 2026
I prayed that he had put aside his dire thoughts.
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
