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Synonym Chooser

How is the word ghastly different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of ghastly are grisly, gruesome, lurid, and macabre. While all these words mean "horrifying and repellent in appearance or aspect," ghastly suggests the terrifying aspects of corpses and ghosts.

a ghastly accident

How do grisly and gruesome relate to one another, in the sense of ghastly?

Both grisly and gruesome suggest additionally the results of extreme violence or cruelty.

an unusually grisly murder
suffered a gruesome death

How are the words lurid and gruesome related as synonyms of ghastly?

Lurid adds to gruesome the suggestion of shuddering fascination with violent death and especially with murder.

the lurid details of a crime

When might macabre be a better fit than ghastly?

Although the words macabre and ghastly have much in common, macabre implies a morbid preoccupation with the physical aspects of death.

a macabre tale of premature burial

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ghastly America’s least godly president went to church surrounded by his most ardent supporters, still unrepentant for ghastly sins against our republic, most notably his inspiration of the Jan. 6 insurrection that attempted to overthrow an election in 2020. David Mastio, The Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2025 The ghastly damage to my neighborhood was a complete shock. James R. Riffel, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Jan. 2025 When Maria returns home and visitors arrive, Jesús is forced to reckon with the ghastly horror in their midst. Erik Piepenburg, New York Times, 3 Jan. 2025 The ghastly incident unfolded at a Days Inn hotel that had been converted into a shelter by the city on East New York Avenue in the Brownsville neighborhood. David Unsworth, Fox News, 27 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for ghastly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ghastly
Adjective
  • On September 2, 1885, in one of the most gruesome episodes of racial terror in American history, a group of white miners killed at least twenty-eight Chinese residents in Rock Springs and burned down the town’s Chinese quarter.
    Michael Luo, The New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2025
  • The Fallen Sun stands out not just as a cop procedural, but also as a thriller that never shys away from the gruesome nature of the killer’s crime spree.
    Sezin Koehler, EW.com, 28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • The intense gravitational pull from the black hole rips the two stars apart, capturing one star into a close orbit around it, notes the center.
    Bruce Dorminey, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025
  • This film transitions between moments of intense governmental and political drama, and moments of sympathetic, emotional anguish with the Hernandez family.
    Addie Morfoot, Variety, 8 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The harsh environment, mostly devoid of human presence, feels almost terrifying in its vastness—but that feeling quickly gives way to awe and excitement.
    Dobrina Zhekova, Vogue, 4 Mar. 2025
  • The terrifying incident unfolded Saturday morning, shortly after the Boeing 767 lifted off from its runway at Newark Liberty Airport.
    Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The horrific apparent overdose came a day after a drug-dealing operator of a Bronx day care was sentenced to 45 years in prison for the death of a toddler exposed to fentanyl and the overdoses of three other children who survived.
    Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 5 Mar. 2025
  • Read Next California Toddler disfigured by burns in ‘horrific’ child endangerment case in CA.
    Mike Stunson, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The tool is designed for people who do intensive knowledge work in areas like finance, science, policy, and engineering.
    Gene Marks, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
  • Because disability claims are done on paper and labor intensive, technology is not enough to solve the problem.
    Jenna McLaughlin, NPR, 28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Some compare Sanders to Geno Smith — not flattering, but not horrible.
    Troy Renck, Orlando Sentinel, 2 Mar. 2025
  • Everybody's going to be thrown, according to , into all these horrible situations.
    Hugh Cameron, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • The shocking move by Topuria left the door open for Volkanovski to return to featherweight for an immediate title fight against Lopes.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025
  • This gripping series takes viewers into insidious modern-day cults through the unique lens of members who endured unspeakable trauma and the shocking investigations into these oppressive groups.
    Katcy Stephan, Variety, 27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • This is, on paper, a terrible idea for all involved.
    Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
  • Until its proves otherwise, Miami sits mediocre at ninth-best in the 16-team AFC -- not terrible, surely not the dregs ... but not a contender.
    Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ghastly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ghastly. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

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