awful
word
/ˈɑfəɫ/, /ˈɔfəɫ/
AW-fuhl
/ˈɔːfəl/
AW-fuhl
Definition
Extremely bad, unpleasant, or shocking. It can describe something of very poor quality, or an experience that causes discomfort or surprise.
Usage & Nuances
'Awful' is informal and used mainly in spoken English. It can intensify negative feelings ('an awful smell', 'feel awful'). Sometimes used for emphasis in positive slang ('awfully good'), but mainly negative. Don't confuse with 'awesome', which is positive.
Spanish: horrible - terrible - espantosoPortuguese (BR): horrível - terrível - péssimoPortuguese (PT): horrível - terrível - péssimoChinese (Simplified): 糟糕的 - 令人讨厌的Chinese (Traditional): 糟糕的 - 令人討厭的Hindi: बहुत खराब - भयानकArabic: فظيع - سيئ للغايةBengali: ভয়ংকর - জঘন্যRussian: ужасный - отвратительныйJapanese: ひどい - すごく悪いVietnamese: kinh khủng - tồi tệKorean: 끔찍한 - 형편없는Turkish: berbat - korkunçUrdu: خوفناک - بہت براIndonesian: mengerikan - buruk sekali
Example Sentences
That was an awful movie.
basic
The food tastes awful.
basic
I feel awful today.
basic
He made an awful mistake at work.
natural
What an awful smell in here!
natural
Honestly, that was an awful thing to say.
natural