as in horror
the quality of inspiring intense dread or dismay
the dreadfulness of an oncoming avalanche can scarcely be described
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dreadfulness
Noun
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That film generated some moody power before collapsing into a pile of surrealist-horror shards.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
20 May 2026 -
The convention has become a longtime gathering place for horror fans and industry artists alike, celebrating everything from classic creature features to modern special effects in filmmaking.—
Charlie Vargas,
Oc Register,
19 May 2026
Noun
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Various armed groups have long vied for control of the area, and have been accused of engaging in a campaign of atrocities against the Nuba and other communities there.—
Annie Hylton,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
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Their willingness to film their inhumanity echoed the Nazis of the Third Reich, who likewise filmed their mass atrocities.—
Bobby Zirkin,
Baltimore Sun,
14 May 2026
Noun
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In a world so full of dread and awfulness, why not take a moment to read anonymous petty literary gossip on the internet?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Apr. 2026
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The relative excitement around the Rockies having arrived in San Diego at 6-6 is a reaction based on their relative awfulness.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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No amount of gore or ghastliness is off limits for the series, produced by horror champions Blumhouse, as Nicole Kidman's titular medical examiner pores over the remains of the dead.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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What makes your own skin crawl isn’t just the hideousness of the violence but the unblinking matter-of-factness with which DaCosta films it.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
16 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The result is depressingly rizzless for something based on a game famous for its gruesomeness.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
6 May 2026
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Even early on, before the gruesomeness starts spiraling out of control, Stephen McKeon’s stabbing, head-scrambling score and Peter Albrechtsen’s gut-churning soundscape work overtime to jangle our nerves.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Dreadfulness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dreadfulness. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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