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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Episodes are bound together by banal introductory voiceover, in which our narrator recites ominous clichés that, like everything in His & Hers, border on parody.—
Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 8 Jan. 2026
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More ominous still is the thought of the FanDuel mentality extending into other areas of American life.—
Adjective
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Humans could suddenly step into a box, perhaps hear gears grind, and then exit the box on a different floor—and even as safety features were innovated, that was terrifying.—
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Madigan's character, the elderly aunt of several of the students, became a cult favorite, both terrifying and delighting audiences.—
Adjective
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Smallwood, less innately sinister as a performer, turns the part into a slow burn.—
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If Park’s film begins as another lament for our layoff-laden modern world, the South Korean director soon introduces a sinister twist.—
Adjective
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The service Aside from a formidable restaurant and spa, the service sets this hotel apart from other country boutiques in Sicily.—
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The hardy parasite is also highly attuned to threats and responds with formidable defense mechanisms — prolonging a treatment process that’s already months to years long and often fraught with other hurdles and pain.—
Adjective
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If the sky becomes menacing and thunder becomes audible, seek out a safe place to seek shelter.—
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Look to the upper region of the lunar crescent to find the menacing form of the Aristotles crater with its eastern rim bathed in impenetrable shadow.—
Adjective
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Are there horrible smells wafting around?—
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Jimmy Kimmel was horrible, and some of these people.—
Adjective
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The groundbreaking research penetrated the last moments of the young nobleman, who suffered a terrible 26 blows.—
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History is full of cases where great bands make terrible records, yet history stands speechless at what the Clash accomplished here.—
Adjective
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Experts immediately pointed out that Hassett had used a misleading method known as a cubic fit to make the mortality data appear less frightening.—
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When the sun went down, the Santa Anas began to blow, and the fire shifted into the familiar, frightening rhythm of inevitability.—
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Cite this Entry
“Direful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/direful. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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