Searching for synonyms for awful? Here’s some similar words from our thesaurus you can use instead.

• “terribly interesting“
• “I’m awful sorry“

Synonyms

• terribly used as intensifiers; in a terrible manner
• awfully used as intensifiers; of a dreadful kind; in a terrible manner
• frightfully used as intensifiers

• “atrocious taste“
• “abominable workmanship“
• “an awful voice“
• “dreadful manners“
• “a painful performance“
• “terrible handwriting“
• “an unspeakable odor came sweeping into the room“

Synonyms

• atrocious shockingly brutal or cruel; exceptionally bad or displeasing; provoking horror
• abominable unequivocally detestable; exceptionally bad or displeasing
• dreadful causing fear or dread or terror; exceptionally bad or displeasing; extremely disagreeable and unpleasant
• painful causing physical or psychological pain; causing misery or pain or distress; exceptionally bad or displeasing; causing physical discomfort
• terrible causing fear or dread or terror; exceptionally bad or displeasing; intensely or extremely bad or unpleasant in degree or quality; extreme in degree or extent or amount or impact
• unspeakable defying expression or description; exceptionally bad or displeasing; too sacred to be uttered

• “the awful war“
• “an awful risk“
• “dire news“
• “a career or vengeance so direful that London was shocked“
• “the dread presence of the headmaster“
• “polio is no longer the dreaded disease it once was“
• “a dreadful storm“
• “a fearful howling“
• “horrendous explosions shook the city“
• “a terrible curse“

Synonyms

• dire fraught with extreme danger; causing fear or dread or terror
• direful causing fear or dread or terror
• dread(a)
• dreaded causing fear or dread or terror
• dreadful causing fear or dread or terror; exceptionally bad or displeasing; extremely disagreeable and unpleasant
• fearful experiencing or showing fear; causing fear or dread or terror; lacking courage; extremely distressing; timid by nature or revealing timidity
• fearsome causing fear or dread or terror
• frightening the act of inspiring with fear ; causing fear or dread or terror
• horrendous causing fear or dread or terror
• horrific grossly offensive to decency or morality; causing fear or dread or terror
• terrible causing fear or dread or terror; exceptionally bad or displeasing; intensely or extremely bad or unpleasant in degree or quality; extreme in degree or extent or amount or impact

• “in a nasty mood“
• “a nasty accident“
• “a nasty shock“
• “a nasty smell“
• “a nasty trick to pull“
• “Will he say nasty things at my funeral?- Ezra Pound“

Synonyms

• nasty offensive or even (of persons) malicious; exasperatingly difficult to handle or circumvent; characterized by obscenity; disgustingly dirty

• “awed by the silence“
• “awful worshippers with bowed heads“

Synonyms

• awed inspired by a feeling of fearful wonderment or reverence; having or showing a feeling of mixed reverence and respect and wonder and dread

• “in a frightful hurry“
• “spent a frightful amount of money“

Synonyms

• frightful provoking horror; extreme in degree or extent or amount or impact; extremely distressing
• terrible causing fear or dread or terror; exceptionally bad or displeasing; intensely or extremely bad or unpleasant in degree or quality; extreme in degree or extent or amount or impact
• tremendous extraordinarily large in size or extent or amount or power or degree; extraordinarily good or great; extreme in degree or extent or amount or impact

• “New York is an amazing city“
• “the Grand Canyon is an awe-inspiring sight“
• “the awesome complexity of the universe“
• “this sea, whose gently awful stirrings seem to speak of some hidden soul beneath- Melville“
• “Westminster Hall’s awing majesty, so vast, so high, so silent“

Synonyms

• amazing surprising greatly; inspiring awe or admiration or wonder
• awe-inspiring inspiring awe or admiration or wonder
• awesome inspiring awe or admiration or wonder
• awing inspiring awe or admiration or wonder