WordWeb Online

1. Exceptionally bad or displeasing
   "an awful voice"
   - atrocious, abominable, dreadful, painful, terrible, unspeakable
    
2. Causing fear or dread or terror
   "the awful war"; "an awful risk"
   - dire, direful, dread, dreaded, dreadful, fearful, fearsome, frightening, horrendous, horrific, terrible
    
3. Offensive or even (of persons) malicious
   - nasty
    
4. Inspired by a feeling of fearful wonderment or reverence
   "awful worshippers with bowed heads"
   - awed
    
5. Extreme in degree or extent or amount or impact
   - frightful, terrible, tremendous
    
6. Inspiring awe or admiration or wonder
   "this sea, whose gently awful stirrings seem to speak of some hidden soul beneath"
   - amazing, awe-inspiring, awesome, awing

1. Used as intensifiers
   "I'm awful sorry"
   - terribly, awfully, frightfully, appallingly, execrably

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

Encyclopedia: Awful Awful, Beautiful Life