direful
Full of dread
Direful means causing or involving dread or terror—a literary synonym for dire or dreadful.
The word appears mainly in older texts and deliberately archaic writing: direful consequences, a direful prophecy.
It carries a weightier, more ominous tone than simply bad or unfortunate.
Extreme, overwhelming fear
- horrorExtreme fear or disgust
- frightSudden intense fear
- trepidationFearful uncertainty
- terribleExtremely poor or distressing
horrible · frightful · terrifying · horrifying · fearful · appalling · ghastly · grisly
Devastating, large-scale misfortune
- disasterSudden ruinous event
- calamitySevere misfortune or disaster
- tragedyDisastrous or sorrowful event
- devastationSevere widespread destruction
ruin · destruction · doom · cataclysm · havoc · apocalypse · downfall · perdition
Fearful anticipation of harm
- portentousOminously significant
- inauspiciousShowing poor prospects
- sinisterThreateningly suggestive of harm
- menacingConveying threat or danger
threatening · forbidding · gloomy · dark · brooding · fateful · premonitory · prophetic
terror
Extreme, overwhelming fear
- horrorExtreme fear or disgust
- frightSudden intense fear
- trepidationFearful uncertainty
terrible · horrible · frightful · terrifying · horrifying · fearful · appalling · ghastly · grisly · harrowing
catastrophe
Devastating, large-scale misfortune
- disasterSudden ruinous event
- calamitySevere misfortune or disaster
- tragedyDisastrous or sorrowful event
devastation · ruin · destruction · doom · cataclysm · havoc · apocalypse · downfall · perdition · bane
foreboding
Fearful anticipation of harm
- portentousOminously significant
- inauspiciousShowing poor prospects
- sinisterThreateningly suggestive of harm
menacing · threatening · forbidding · gloomy · dark · brooding · fateful · premonitory · prophetic · ill-omened
bleak
Dreary and without cheer
mournful · woeful · doleful · lugubrious · sepulchral · desolate · dreary · cheerless · joyless · morose
direfulauspicious
Indicating future success
propitious · promising · hopeful · favorable · encouraging
direfulreassuring
Restoring calm or confidence
comforting · calming · soothing · consoling · tranquilizing
direfulharmless
Causing no injury
benign · innocuous · safe · unthreatening · nonthreatening