English · Word Candidate

dreadful

/ˈdɹɛd.fl̩/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: dreadfuls

Sense 1

Meaning · English

Full of something causing dread, whether — Genuinely horrific, awful, or alarming; dangerous, risky.

Adjective

"...Aunt Em will surely think something dreadful has happened to me, and that will make her put on mourning..."

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Meaning · English

Full of something causing dread, whether — Unpleasant, awful, very bad (also used as an intensifier).

Adjective

Here some... Look dreadful gay in their own sparkling blood.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Meaning · English

Dreadfully.

AdverbRegister: informal

I'm sorry, Miz Terrigan. I'm dreadful sorry.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Meaning · English

A shocker: a report of a crime written in a provokingly lurid style.

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

What does “dreadful” mean?

Full of something causing dread, whether — Genuinely horrific, awful, or alarming; dangerous, risky.

Is “dreadful” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.