dire
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Bad in quality, awful, terrible.
Register: slang
Examples
His dire blunder allowed her to checkmate him with her next move.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “dire” mean?
Bad in quality, awful, terrible.
Is “dire” formal or informal?
dire is generally slang.