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
-
But for now, his parting words were ominous.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026 -
The ominous silence is more evidence of a city mired in political intrigue with too little transparency.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Even the more terrifying creatures, like rattlesnakes and scorpions, have their own undeniable, deadly beauty.—
Becky Bartkowski,
AZCentral.com,
14 Feb. 2026
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The story that introduced millions of streaming viewers to the Crain family and their terrifying home is getting a brand-new life — this time, on stage.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
While some post harmless content such as gym routines and self-improvement advice, other accounts are more sinister.—
Ivana Scatola,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
-
And then there's Reinhardt's sinister robot sidekick Maximilian, a silent, malevolent presence who has no qualms about slicing up humans with his Swiss Army Knife-esque collection of torture devices.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Apple Pay and Cash App became formidable competitors.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The rout was on from there as Florida’s formidable frontcourt imposed its will, finishing with a 56-35 rebounding edge and a 20-point advantage in the paint.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Seattle’s home crowd let out a menacing roar.—
Cam Inman,
Mercury News,
8 Feb. 2026
-
But for an unwilling or unprepared person immersed in this place, these attributes can become much more menacing.—
Joan Meiners,
AZCentral.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Miami is now 27-26, still mired in play-in territory, entering today’s matinee at horrible Washington.—
Greg Cote
February 8,
Miami Herald,
8 Feb. 2026
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A lot of things have happened with regard to that horrible situation the last couple of hours.—
Kathy Tulumello,
AZCentral.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
America just passed the 50th anniversary of one of its truly terrible days — one that future historians can track as the beginning of the end of our democracy.—
Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Busch was terrible defensively at third.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The bodycam video was an eye-opening look at the frightening aftermath of the Brown campus shooting when police were searching room-by-room for the suspect, trying to comfort and care for terrified students, and trying to coordinate with campus police to get past locked doors.—
Corky Siemaszko,
NBC news,
9 Feb. 2026
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In 2017 Dikansh Parmar of the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change in Germany, rescued an Indian cobra (Naja naja) coiled around a train’s window bars that was hissing and, understandably, frightening passengers.—
Richard Kemeny,
Scientific American,
6 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Direful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/direful. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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