"dire scenario" is a perfectly acceptable phrase to use in written English. It is generally used when talking about a very serious or difficult situation. For example: "The drought has created a dire scenario for the people of the town, who are now facing severe water shortages.".
In a truly dire scenario, Britain is just the leading domino.
The good news in this dire scenario is that leaders such as Germany have made solar and other clean technology cheap enough to beat fossil fuels on price.
It's the kind of dire scenario that brings out the best in Mr. Bloomberg, who seems born to the role of fiscal savior.
With a 2020 vision -- focused on eliminating the short-term security threat posed by Al Qaeda and countering the longer-term threat presented by China -- Roger Cohen's dire scenario will never come to pass.
Predicting dire scenarios is common in letters opposing the financial overhaul.
Never happen, we assure ourselves; such dire scenarios are as alarmist as a notion of global economic collapse leading to Great Depression II.
There was no proof either that the most dire scenarios would be realized or that the arsenal was safe, he said.
Being a terminologist, I care about word choice. Ludwig simply helps me pick the best words for any translation. Five stars!
Maria Pia Montoro
Terminologist and Q/A Analyst @ Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union