DIRE
Dictionary entry overview: What does dire mean? • DIRE (adjective)
The adjective DIRE has 2 senses:
1. fraught with extreme danger; nearly hopeless
2. causing fear or dread or terror
Familiarity information: DIRE used as an adjective is rare.
Dictionary entry details
• DIRE (adjective)
Meaning:
Fraught with extreme danger; nearly hopeless
Synonyms:
dire; desperate
Context examples:
a desperate illness / on all fronts the Allies were in a desperate situation due to lack of materiel / a dire emergency
Similar:
critical (being in or verging on a state of crisis or emergency)
Meaning:
Causing fear or dread or terror
Synonyms:
fearsome; frightening; fearful; dreadful; dreaded; dread; direful; terrible; horrendous; horrific; awful; dire
Context examples:
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
Similar:
alarming (causing alarm or fear)
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