Awful

Pronunciation: /ˈɔfəl/

Definitions of awful

adjective causing fear, dread, or terror; extremely bad or unpleasant

Example Sentences

A1 The movie was awful. I didn't enjoy it at all.

A2 The food at that restaurant was awful. I couldn't even finish my meal.

B1 The weather on our vacation was awful. It rained every day.

B2 The service at the hotel was awful. The staff were rude and unhelpful.

C1 The traffic in the city was awful. It took us hours to get anywhere.

C2 The conditions in the refugee camp were awful. People were living in terrible poverty and suffering.

Examples of awful in a Sentence

formal The quality of the product was truly awful, and we will need to address this issue immediately.

informal I tried baking a cake last night, but it turned out awful.

slang The weather today is just awful, I wish I could stay in bed all day.

figurative The situation at work has become so awful that I'm considering looking for a new job.

Grammatical Forms of awful

• past tense: awful
• plural: awfuls
• comparative: more awful
• superlative: most awful
• present tense: awful
• future tense: will be awful
• perfect tense: have been awful
• continuous tense: is being awful
• singular: awful
• positive degree: awful
• infinitive: to be awful
• gerund: awfulness
• participle: awful

Origin and Evolution of awful

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'awful' originated from the Old English word 'egefull', which meant 'full of awe' or 'inspiring fear or reverence'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'awful' has evolved to primarily mean something extremely bad or unpleasant, rather than just inspiring awe or fear. The negative connotation of the word has become more prominent in modern usage.