direful

[ dahyuh r-fuh l ]
/ ˈdaɪər fəl /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR direful ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

dreadful; awful; terrible.
indicating trouble: direful forecasts.

QUIZZES

DO YOU KNOW THIS VOCABULARY FROM "THE HANDMAID'S TALE"?

"The Handmaid's Tale" was required reading for many of us in school. Everyone else has probably watched the very popular and addictive TV show. Do you remember this vocabulary from the book, and do you know what these terms mean?
Question 1 of 10
decorum
the act of or need for making up one's mind.
dignified propriety of behavior, speech, dress, etc.
a company of singers, especially an organized group employed in church service.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of direful

First recorded in 1575–85; dire + -ful

OTHER WORDS FROM direful

dire·ful·ly, adverbdire·ful·ness, noun

Words nearby direful

directory, directory assistance, directress, directrix, diredawa, direful, diremption, direxit, dirge, dirham, dirhem
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to direful

apocalyptic, appalling, awful, baleful, baneful, calamitous, dreadful, fateful, ghastly, gloomy, ill-boding, inauspicious, ominous, shocking, terrible, terrific, unlucky, unpropitious, horrid

Example sentences from the Web for direful