24
hard(adjective, difficult, tender, unpleasant, complex)
22
shocking(adjective, pain, awful, terrible, fear)
22
difficult(adjective, hard, complex, sickness, ache)
22
disturbing(adjective, hard, severe, difficult, unpleasant)
21
hideous(adjective, awful, terrible, horrible, dreadful)
21
gruesome(adjective, awful, terrible, horrible, dreadful)
21
serious(adjective, hard, difficult, complex)
20
fearful(adjective, pain, awful, terrible, fear)
20
atrocious(adjective, awful, terrible, horrible, afraid)
20
extreme(adjective, painful, sickness, ache, convention)
20
heartrending(adjective, hard, difficult, complex)
20
sensitive(adjective, hard, difficult, complex, painful)
19
horrendous(adjective, awful, terrible, horrible, afraid)
19
grim(adjective, pain, dark, awful, terrible)
19
dread(adjective, awful, terrible, fear, horrible)
19
weighty(adjective, hard, difficult, complex)
18
frightening(adjective, awful, terrible, horrible, afraid)
18
laborious(adjective, hard, difficult, complex)
18
massive(adjective, hard, difficult, complex)
18
messy(adjective, hard, difficult, complex)
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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>