Definition
Meaning of 'awful'
Meaning of 'awful' (Webster Dictionary)
1. Awful 
[ a.]
- Oppressing with fear or horror; appalling; terrible; as, an
awful scene. [ a.]- Inspiring awe; filling with profound reverence, or with fear and admiration; fitted to inspire reverential fear; profoundly impressive.
- Struck or filled with awe; terror-stricken.
- Worshipful; reverential; law-abiding.
- Frightful; exceedingly bad; great; -- applied intensively; as, an awful bonnet; an awful boaster.
Meaning of 'awful' (Princeton's WordNet)
1. awful [ a]
[ a]Meaning (1):
- offensive or even (of persons) malicious
- offensive or even (of persons) malicious
Example in sentence:
- a nasty accident;
- a nasty shock;
- a nasty smell;
- a nasty trick to pull;
- in a nasty mood;
- Will he say nasty things at my funeral?
2. awful [ r]
[ r]Meaning (2):
- used as intensifiers
- used as intensifiers
Example in sentence:
- I'm awful sorry;
- terribly interesting
3. awful [ s]
[ s]Meaning (3):
- exceptionally bad or displeasing
- exceptionally bad or displeasing
Example in sentence:
- a painful performance;
- abominable workmanship;
- an awful voice;
- an unspeakable odor came sweeping into the room;
- atrocious taste;
- dreadful manners;
- terrible handwriting
Meaning (4):
- inspired by a feeling of fearful wonderment or reverence
- inspired by a feeling of fearful wonderment or reverence
Example in sentence:
- awed by the silence;
- awful worshippers with bowed heads
Meaning (5):
- extreme in degree or extent or amount or impact
- extreme in degree or extent or amount or impact
Example in sentence:
- in a frightful hurry;
- spent a frightful amount of money
Meaning (6):
- inspiring awe or admiration or wonder
- inspiring awe or admiration or wonder
Example in sentence:
- New York is an amazing city;
- the awesome complexity of the universe;
- the Grand Canyon is an awe-inspiring sight;
- this sea, whose gently awful stirrings seem to speak of some hidden soul beneath;
- Westminster Hall's awing majesty, so vast, so high, so silent
Meaning (7):
- causing fear or dread or terror
- causing fear or dread or terror
Example in sentence:
- a career or vengeance so direful that London was shocked;
- a dreadful storm;
- a fearful howling;
- a terrible curse;
- an awful risk;
- dire news;
- horrendous explosions shook the city;
- polio is no longer the dreaded disease it once was;
- the awful war;
- the dread presence of the headmaster
See 'awful' also in:
Recent Article
Categories
- Business Studies
- Banking & Finance
- Management & Organization Studies
- HRM & Labor Studies
- Management Information System
- Accounting & Auditing
- Marketing & Public Relations
- Entrepreneurship & Small Business
- Psychology & Behavioral Science
- Computer Programming
- Automotive Engineering
- Computer Networking
- Medical & Health Science
- Microbiology