Pronunciations (2)
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/ˈdɹɛd.fʊl.i/
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ˈdɹɛd.fʊl.i
Adverb
In a dreadful manner; terribly.
- Examples
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You behaved dreadfully yesterday night
The smellful old heathen was snoring dreadfully.
Exceptionally, eminently, very much.
Usage- Dated
- Examples
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That restaurant seems dreadfully expensive.
More examples (1)
At that moment a curious crack sounded inside the statue, as if something had broken. The fact is that the leaden heart had snapped right in two. It certainly was a dreadfully hard frost.
“Here it is,” said Eddie. “‘Why Must it Always be Tomato Soup?’ It's so deeply true, don't you feel? Tomato soup is so dreadfully eternal.”
Adverb
of a dreadful kind
- Examples
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there was a dreadfully bloody accident on the road this morning
in a dreadful manner
- Synonyms
- Examples
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as he looks at the mess he has left behind he must wonder how the Brits so often managed to succeed in the kind of situation where he has so dismally failed