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Adjective: awful (awfuler,awfulest)  o-ful
  1. Exceptionally bad or displeasing
    "an awful voice";
    - atrocious, abominable, dreadful, painful, terrible, unspeakable, horrible
     
  2. Offensive or even (of persons) malicious
    - nasty
     
  3. Causing fear, dread or terror
    "the awful war"; "an awful risk";
    - dire, direful, dread, dreaded, dreadful, fearful, fearsome, frightening, horrendous, horrific, terrible
     
  4. Inspired by a feeling of fearful wonderment or reverence
    "awful worshippers with bowed heads";
    - awed
     
  5. Extreme in degree, extent, amount or impact
    - frightful, terrible, tremendous
     
  6. [archaic] Inspiring awe, admiration or wonder
    "this sea, whose gently awful stirrings seem to speak of some hidden soul beneath";
    - amazing, awe-inspiring, awesome, awing, breathtaking
Adverb: awful  o-ful
Usage: N. Amer (elsewhere: awfully)
  1. Used as an intensifier
    "I'm awful sorry";
    - terribly, awfully, frightfully, execrably, appallingly

See also: alarming, bad, cruddy [informal], dirty, extraordinary, filthy, grotty [Brit, informal], hateful, impressive, lousy [informal], mean, nastiness, reverent, unpleasant

Encyclopedia: Awful, Beautiful Life