Increasingly grave circumstances
Direr is the comparative form of dire, meaning more urgent, desperate, or severe: The situation grew direr by the hour.
Though grammatically correct, many speakers avoid it in favor of "more dire," finding direr awkward to pronounce.
More solemn or severe
IDEA.org / Words / direr
Increasingly grave circumstances
Direr is the comparative form of dire, meaning more urgent, desperate, or severe: The situation grew direr by the hour.
Though grammatically correct, many speakers avoid it in favor of "more dire," finding direr awkward to pronounce.
1. severity — graver, More solemn or severe; grimmer (More severe or bleak); bleaker (More devoid of cheer); harsher (More severe or unkind); starker
severity/urgencydirer ≠ milder Less intense or harsh; better · tamer · gentler · calmer · easier
outlook/prospectdirer ≠ better Of higher quality; brighter · rosier · sunnier · best · good
dire straits (Severe hardship or peril); in dire straits; dire wolves (Extinct large wolf species); dire wolf (Extinct large canine species); voir dire (Pretrial juror examination)
dire, direst, direness, direful
Word data: Linguabase (CC0) · www.idea.org/words/direr