awful
Deserving zero stars
Awful describes something extremely bad, unpleasant, or of poor quality: The weather was awful all week.
It intensifies negative states—you might feel awful when sick or guilty.
Informally, awful works as an intensifier meaning "very" or "a great deal of": an awful lot of people showed up.
The word originally meant "inspiring awe," a sense now largely obsolete except in the related adverb awfully, which can mean either terribly or very: I'm awfully sorry.
Inspiring horror or disgust
- atrociousAppallingly, shockingly wicked
- horrendousExtremely unpleasant or bad
- ghastlyTerrifyingly horrible or pale
- abominableExtremely hateful or disgusting
frightful · deplorable · horrid · wretched · miserable · lousy · dismal · abysmal
Evoking extreme fear
- horrifyingCausing extreme fear
- nightmarishFrightening like bad dreams
- chillingCausing fear or cold
- harrowingExtremely distressing or disturbing
monstrous · hideous · gruesome · macabre · ghastly · shocking · alarming · disturbing
Causing strong disgust
- repulsiveCausing strong disgust
- nauseatingCausing urge to vomit
- sickeningCausing disgust or nausea
- foulOffensive or illegal
vile · gross · loathsome · repugnant · offensive · detestable · abhorrent · obnoxious
Feeling profound respect
- venerableDeserving honor for dignity
- majesticImpressively dignified and beautiful
- sublimeAwe-inspiring greatness
- sacredWorthy of reverence
hallowed · imposing · commanding · formidable · august · solemn · grave · weighty
Intensely excessive in force
- extremeFurthest from moderate
- severeExtremely harsh or strict
- tremendousExtraordinarily large or powerful
- immenseExtremely large in scope
profound · acute · powerful · fierce · excruciating · unbearable · crushing · staggering
appalling
Inspiring horror or disgust
- atrociousAppallingly, shockingly wicked
- horrendousExtremely unpleasant or bad
- ghastlyTerrifyingly horrible or pale
abominable · frightful · deplorable · horrid · wretched · miserable · lousy · dismal · abysmal · woeful
terrifying
Evoking extreme fear
- horrifyingCausing extreme fear
- nightmarishFrightening like bad dreams
- chillingCausing fear or cold
harrowing · monstrous · hideous · gruesome · macabre · ghastly · shocking · alarming · disturbing · unsettling
revolting
Causing strong disgust
- repulsiveCausing strong disgust
- nauseatingCausing urge to vomit
- sickeningCausing disgust or nausea
foul · vile · gross · loathsome · repugnant · offensive · detestable · abhorrent · obnoxious · nasty
reverent
Feeling profound respect
- venerableDeserving honor for dignity
- majesticImpressively dignified and beautiful
- sublimeAwe-inspiring greatness
sacred · hallowed · imposing · commanding · formidable · august · solemn · grave · weighty · momentous
overwhelming
Intensely excessive in force
- extremeFurthest from moderate
- severeExtremely harsh or strict
- tremendousExtraordinarily large or powerful
immense · profound · acute · powerful · fierce · excruciating · unbearable · crushing · staggering · formidable
- adjectivesbig, urgent, amazing, temporary, bold
- uglyugly, hideous, unsightly, grotesque, repulsive
- inferiorinferior, substandard, second-rate, second-class, subpar
- negative adjectivesbad, cruel, dumb, evil, fake
- qualitiesgood, bad, better, best, useful
- disgustdisgust, disgusting, disgusted, revulsion, repulsion
- I feel awfulExpression of distress
- god awfulExtremely, shockingly bad
- how awfulSympathetic dismay exclamation
- awfully goodIntensely positive, despite wording
- something awfulA very bad thing
- bloody awful