Dreadful

Pronunciation: /ˈdrɛdfəl/

Definitions of dreadful

adjective causing fear or dread; extremely bad or serious

Example Sentences

A1 The weather was dreadful, so we stayed inside all day.

A2 I had a dreadful headache yesterday, but it's much better now.

B1 The movie we watched last night was dreadful, I wish we had chosen a different one.

B2 The service at the restaurant was absolutely dreadful, we won't be going back there again.

C1 The consequences of his actions were truly dreadful, affecting many people in a negative way.

C2 The war had a dreadful impact on the country, leaving a trail of destruction and suffering in its wake.

Examples of dreadful in a Sentence

formal The impact of the dreadful weather on crop yields is a major concern for farmers.

informal I had a dreadful time at the dentist yesterday, the whole experience was just awful.

slang That movie was so dreadful, I couldn't even sit through it.

figurative The dreadful weight of guilt hung heavy on his shoulders.

Grammatical Forms of dreadful

• past tense: dreaded
• plural: dreadfuls
• comparative: more dreadful
• superlative: most dreadful
• present tense: dreads
• future tense: will dread
• perfect tense: have dreaded
• continuous tense: is dreading
• singular: dreadful
• positive degree: dreadful
• infinitive: to dread
• gerund: dreading
• participle: dreaded

Origin and Evolution of dreadful

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'dreadful' originated from the Old English word 'eadful', which meant full of fear or terror.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'dreadful' has evolved to encompass a broader range of negative emotions beyond just fear or terror, such as extreme unpleasantness or causing great anxiety.