awful

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "awful" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is very bad or unpleasant. Example: "The weather was awful during our vacation, making it difficult to enjoy our time outdoors."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

That's awful.

The New York Times - Magazine

The housing bubble was unique, and uniquely awful.

The Economist

David Walliams' latest book Awful Auntie was the biggest selling book of 2014.

The Guardian

You get annoyed about things in real life and then the tragic thing is that while you are moaning on the awful injustice and suffering of something, something grimly comic will then strike you about it, like a parasite feeding off the misery of the world.

The Guardian

Witness: "Interstellar I just thought was an abomination — like, I just didn't get it on any level and I thought it was so boring and awful and fucking indulgent and stupid".

The Guardian - Film

Mum wrote an awful letter in my name, which I refused to sign, but she forged my signature and the rest is his tory.

The Guardian

Motion sees Carter as a comic writer who saw the life of the universe as an awful joke, "or rather, awful and a joke".

The Guardian - Books

"I've been on those sands man and boy … What happened that night was not only awful beyond words – it was absolutely avoidable … Even when the tide hit them, had they had anybody with them, like me, who knows the area, there was still a safe route off the cockle bed … They could have walked to safety".

The Guardian - Opinion

In fact I am sure that I never experienced, as a child, any kind of encounter with the sublime, that catch in the throat, that tightness of the lungs, that sudden, roaring sense of one's extreme smallness in a huge, awful, beautiful world.

The Guardian - Books

I feel awful for foisting another article about sexism on this poor beleaguered reader.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

It's an awful, brutal way of controlling females that carries significant health risks and it needs to end.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "awful" to express strong disapproval or dislike, particularly when describing experiences, conditions, or performances. For added impact, consider intensifying it with adverbs like "absolutely awful" or "really awful".

Common error

While "awful" is widely understood, it can sound too informal or subjective in academic or professional contexts. Opt for more precise or formal alternatives like "terrible", "dreadful", or "unacceptable" to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

"Awful" functions primarily as an adjective, modifying nouns to describe something as extremely unpleasant or of very poor quality. Ludwig's examples showcase its role in expressing negative opinions or describing undesirable states.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

"Awful" is a commonly used adjective to express that something is very bad or unpleasant. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically sound and frequently found in news and media. While its usage is generally correct, it's essential to consider the context and register. For formal writing, alternatives like "terrible" or "dreadful" might be more suitable. The phrase is versatile but most effectively conveys strong disapproval or dislike.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

terrible

Similar in expressing extreme negativity, but slightly more common and versatile.

dreadful

Emphasizes causing fear or dismay, closely related but more intense in connotation.

horrendous

Stresses causing horror or shock, slightly more dramatic than "awful".

appalling

Highlights being shocking or dismaying, emphasizing the unexpected nature of the badness.

atrocious

Implies extreme wickedness or cruelty, a stronger negative connotation.

abominable

Suggests something detestable or loathsome, adding a layer of moral disapproval.

godawful

An informal way of saying something is extremely bad or unpleasant.

lousy

More informal and colloquial, indicating poor quality or unpleasantness.

unpleasant

A more general term for something not enjoyable, less intense than "awful".

disgusting

Focuses on causing revulsion or distaste, often related to sensory experiences.

FAQs

How can I use "awful" in a sentence?

You can use "awful" to describe something very bad or unpleasant. For example, "The weather was awful today", or "That movie was awful".

What can I say instead of "awful"?

You can use alternatives like "terrible", "dreadful", or "horrendous" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "awful good"?

While "awful" is typically used to mean very bad, it can occasionally be used informally to mean very good, especially in some dialects. However, this usage is less common and can be confusing, so it's generally best to avoid it.

What's the difference between "awful" and "terrible"?

"Awful" and "terrible" are often interchangeable, but "awful" can sometimes carry a slightly stronger emotional connotation of disgust or revulsion, while "terrible" is more generally bad.