dreadful circumstance

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "dreadful circumstance" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation that is extremely unpleasant or unfortunate. Example: "The community came together to support those affected by the dreadful circumstance of the natural disaster."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Books

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Although adults like to look for the social lesson in tales of dreadful circumstance, kids know that trouble is more exciting than contentment.

The New York Times - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

They are regarded as heroes in St Lucia and they died in dreadful circumstances far from home.

The Guardian

Was the Cornwell story that of a brave young hero dying in utterly dreadful circumstances?

The Guardian

You can see the necessity of what they are doing and the dreadful circumstances under which they're doing it.

The Guardian

What is also becoming clear is that, given the right dreadful circumstances, it could be pernicious enough to kill.

The Guardian - Opinion

George Gissing died on December 28 1903, in dreadful circumstances in France, where he had gone in a vain attempt to recover his health.

The Guardian - Books

A nearly-mystery novel nicely constructed around a ghastly premise: Sophy, the narrator and protagonist, has found new love with Daniel in the last stage of her divorce from Will when Will is found dead in dreadful circumstances.

The New York Times - Books

The MP added: "What the public have seen is a family in all of its truth and its honesty and its devotion to trying to get, in Phil's case, his brother back unharmed from these dreadful circumstances.

The Guardian

At its onset, they leave each other in dreadful circumstances, having just spent a day (one imagines rather a busy day) burying 20 or 30 soldiers massacred by the advancing Japanese.

The New York Times - Books

"Born of tragedy, there has been a far greater focus by leaders on girls' education – the shooting of Malala Yousafzai (who will attend the summit) and the dreadful circumstances of the Nigerian schoolgirls – has galvanised the world community".

The Guardian

It is not only the art created at Theresienstadt that leaves us awestruck; perhaps even more it is that thirst for cultural life, that thirst for art displayed by the members of the Theresienstadt community, who in dreadful circumstances still attended plays and concerts and exhibitions.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "dreadful circumstance" to emphasize the severity and unpleasantness of a particular situation. It is suitable when conveying a sense of misfortune or disaster.

Common error

Avoid using "dreadful circumstance" in everyday conversation or informal writing. It's best reserved for situations where a more serious and impactful tone is needed.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "dreadful circumstance" functions as a noun phrase, where the adjective "dreadful" modifies the noun "circumstance". According to Ludwig AI, it is correct and usable in written English to describe a very unpleasant situation.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

25%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "dreadful circumstance" is a grammatically sound and relatively uncommon expression used to describe highly unpleasant or unfortunate situations. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it's correct for written English and finds its primary usage in News & Media. While synonymous with terms like "terrible situation" or "awful predicament", it is more formal and best reserved for scenarios requiring a serious tone. Overusing it in casual settings might sound unnatural. To best utilize the expression, focus on emphasizing the severity of the situation, and consider synonyms to fine-tune the message's nuance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

terrible situation

Replaces "dreadful" with "terrible", offering a slightly different emotional tone.

awful predicament

Substitutes both "dreadful" and "circumstance" with synonyms, emphasizing the difficulty of the situation.

dire straits

Uses an idiom to describe a situation of great distress and urgency.

unfortunate situation

Replaces "dreadful" with a more neutral term, focusing on the bad luck involved.

tragic event

Shifts the focus to a specific occurrence with devastating consequences.

calamitous event

Emphasizes the disastrous nature of the occurrence.

horrific ordeal

Highlights the intensely unpleasant and prolonged nature of the experience.

grim reality

Focuses on the harsh and unpleasant truth of a situation.

unfavorable condition

Uses more formal language to describe the negative aspects of the state of affairs.

difficult situation

Employs simpler language to express the challenging nature of the circumstances.

FAQs

How can I use "dreadful circumstance" in a sentence?

You can use "dreadful circumstance" to describe a very unpleasant or unfortunate situation, for example: "The family faced a "dreadful circumstance" after losing their home in the fire".

What are some alternatives to "dreadful circumstance"?

Some alternatives to "dreadful circumstance" include "terrible situation", "awful predicament", or "dire straits", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "dreadful circumstance" formal or informal?

"Dreadful circumstance" is generally considered to be a more formal phrase, suitable for serious or impactful contexts rather than casual conversation.

What makes "dreadful circumstance" different from "unfortunate situation"?

"Dreadful circumstance" carries a stronger sense of severity and negativity compared to "unfortunate situation", which is a milder way to describe something bad happening.