47
dreadful(adjective, pain, awful, terrible, fear)
38
grievous(adjective, hard, severe, difficult, tender)
34
awful(adjective, bad, awful, terrible, fear)
33
appalling(adjective, pain, awful, terrible, fear)
31
cruel(adjective, hard, difficult, unpleasant, awful)
31
severe(adjective, hard, difficult, complex, painful)
28
ghastly(adjective, awful, terrible, fear, horrible)
28
frightful(adjective, pain, awful, terrible, fear)
28
nasty(adjective, hard, difficult, awful, terrible)
27
terrible(adjective, bad, awful, fear, horrible)
26
horrible(adjective, awful, terrible, fear, afraid)
26
painful(adjective, hard, severe, difficult, tender)
26
sad(adjective, hard, difficult, awful, terrible)
26
scary(adjective, awful, terrible, fear, horrible)
25
grave(adjective, hard, difficult, complex, warn)
25
sore(adjective, hard, difficult, complex, painful)
25
unbearable(adjective, hard, difficult, complex, painful)
24
horrid(adjective, awful, terrible, fear, horrible)
24
arduous(adjective, hard, difficult, complex, painful)
24
grisly(adjective, awful, terrible, horrible, dreadful)
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APASmart Define. (2016). dire thesaurus. Retrieved September 22, 2026, from https://smartdefine.org/dire/thesaurus/synonyms
ChicagoSmart Define. 2016. "dire thesaurus" https://smartdefine.org/dire/thesaurus/synonyms (accessed September 22, 2026).
HarvardSmart Define 2016, dire thesaurus, Smart Define, viewed 22 September, 2026, <https://smartdefine.org/dire/thesaurus/synonyms>.
MLASmart Define. "dire thesaurus" 24 March 2016. Web. 22 September 2026. <https://smartdefine.org/dire/thesaurus/synonyms>