ghastly

Main Entry:: ghast·ly
Pronunciation:: \ˈgast-lē\
Function:: adjective
Inflected Form(s):: ghast·li·er; ghast·li·est
Etymology:: Middle English gastly, from gasten to terrify — more at gast
Date:: 14th century

1 a: terrifyingly horrible to the senses : frightening <a ghastly crime> b: intensely unpleasant, disagreeable, or objectionable <such a life seems ghastly in its emptiness and sterility — Aldous Huxley>2: resembling a ghost3obsolete : filled with fear4: very great <a ghastly mistake>

— ghast·li·ness noun

— ghastly adverb

synonyms ghastly , grisly , gruesome , macabre , lurid mean horrifying and repellent in appearance or aspect. ghastly suggests the terrifying aspects of corpses and ghosts <a ghastly accident>. grisly and gruesome suggest additionally the results of extreme violence or cruelty <an unusually grisly murder> <suffered a gruesome death>. macabre implies a morbid preoccupation with the physical aspects of death <a macabre tale of premature burial>. lurid adds to gruesome the suggestion of shuddering fascination with violent death and especially with murder <the lurid details of a crime>.

Learn more about "ghastly" and related topics at Britannica.com

See a map of "ghastly" in the Visual Thesaurus

Find Jobs in Your City

Pronunciation Symbols