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AWFUL Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

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View synonyms for awful

awful

[ aw-fuhl ]

adjective

  1. extremely bad; unpleasant; ugly:

    awful paintings; an awful job.

  2. inspiring fear; dreadful; terrible:

    an awful noise.

  3. solemnly impressive; inspiring awe:

    the awful majesty of alpine peaks.

  4. full of awe; reverential.
  5. extremely dangerous, risky, injurious, etc.:

    That was an awful fall she had. He took an awful chance by driving here so fast.



adverb

  1. Informal. very; extremely:

    He did an awful good job of painting the barn. It's awful hot in here.

awful

/ ˈɔːfʊl /

adjective

  1. very bad; unpleasant
  2. archaic.
    inspiring reverence or dread
  3. archaic.
    overcome with awe; reverential
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adverb

  1. not_standard.
    (intensifier)

    an awful cold day

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Confusables Note

Although some object to any use of awful or awfully in any sense not connected with a feeling of awe, both have been used in other senses for several centuries. Awful and awfully as adverbial intensifiers— awful ( ly ) hot; awful ( ly ) cold —appear in the early 19th century, following much the same pattern as horribly and dreadfully. As an adverb awful is less formal in tone than awfully. In the sense “inspiring awe or fear” awesome has largely replaced awful.
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Derived Forms

  • ˈawfulness, noun
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Other Words From

  • awful·ness noun
  • quasi-awful adjective
  • quasi-awful·ly adverb
  • un·awful adjective
  • un·awful·ness noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of awful1

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English a(g)heful, aueful; awe + -ful; replacing Old English egefull “dreadful”
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Word History and Origins

Origin of awful1

C13: see awe , -ful
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Example Sentences

But this wasn’t just any week: It was time for Che and Jost’s annual joke swap, in which each writes awful, offensive jokes that the other must read out loud.

"Yeah, I've seen it so often. I'm different from her and she felt despair… She wanted justice and she felt it was just awful. I think she lost faith in the government completely."

From BBC

Mr Cottrell also said he had been faced with a "horrible and intolerable" situation and that it was "awful to live with and to manage".

From BBC

"You begin to feel the most terrible anxiety, because you don't know if they are going to stop in front of your cell. It is impossible to express how awful a feeling this was."

From BBC

Is it just a neat way to take a breather from all the awful stuff happening under the trees?

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