1
as in ominous
being or showing a sign of evil or calamity to come
the stock market crash was the first direful indication of the dark days to come
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in terrifying
causing fear
heard the direful howling of the wolves during the night
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for direful
Adjective
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People in this state search for a story that explains why everything suddenly feels uncanny and ominous.—
Rachel Aviv,
New Yorker,
21 July 2025 -
Some commentators labeled his speech unduly bellicose; others applauded his courage to define ominous realities.—
Robert Schmuhl,
Chicago Tribune,
20 July 2025
Adjective
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In the meantime, Brandy has been reflecting on the terrifying experience.—
Wendy Grossman Kantor,
People.com,
25 July 2025
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In one of the film's most surprising sequences, his character golfs the best game of his life during a terrifying storm, misses a putt, curses God, and gets struck by lightning.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
25 July 2025
Adjective
-
He’s replaced talk of sinister tech monopolies with embracing Big American Tech, largely refashioned as Big American AI.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
28 July 2025
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Initially, it was suspected that Brewster had been hit by a car, but X-rays revealed a far more sinister truth: Brewster had been shot, leaving him with a severely fractured front leg.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 July 2025
Adjective
-
The Singer Sisters is a totally fresh and original rock & roll saga of a family full of formidable, creative, unforgettable women.—
Gabrielle Bellot,
Literary Hub,
1 Aug. 2025
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Minnesota Twins – Faced with formidable financial worries, the former home of Harmon Killebrew, Tony Oliva, Rod Carew, and Jim Kaat spent the deadline dumping salaries.—
Dan Schlossberg,
Forbes.com,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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If the sky becomes menacing and thunder becomes audible, seek out a safe place to seek shelter.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
28 July 2025
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Petsch visited the annual celebration of all things fan culture to promote the The Strangers: Chapter 2, which picks up where Chapter 1 left off — with Petsch's Maya seemingly saved from the titular Strangers' demented attack, but with the menacing Scarecrow still hunting her down.—
Ryan Coleman Updated,
EW.com,
25 July 2025
Adjective
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Because of Denise Gough's human frailty as a woman destroyed by her own ambition and Kyle Soller's cowardice in the face of a horrible truth.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
EW.com,
23 July 2025
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Soak up the gall of losing, absorb the horrible information, feel it to the full, go there—and then rebound, with superb elasticity.—
James Parker,
The Atlantic,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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Friday was particularly unsettling as terrible jobs data slammed the market and triggered President Donald Trump .—
Zev Fima,
CNBC,
2 Aug. 2025
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My heart goes out to all of the Jewish children, grandchildren and future great-grandchildren who must ultimately bear the brunt of the terrible additional worldwide antisemitism caused directly by the horrific actions of the Israeli government over the past two years.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
2 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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One of the most effectively frightening gags in the movie is little more than an actor in ghoulish makeup tunneling under a bedsheet.—
Madison Bloom,
Pitchfork,
31 July 2025
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And frightening, even to the leaders around Xi Jinping in Beijing.—
Kerry Brown,
Time,
29 July 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Direful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/direful. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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