Ghastly — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈgast-lē/ ghast·ly

Meaning & Definition of Ghastly

Ghastly (adjective)

  1. terrifyingly horrible to the senses, frightening
  2. intensely unpleasant, disagreeable, or objectionable
  3. resembling a ghost

Ghastly (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. extremely disturbing or repellent

    "a ghastly murder that shocked even hard-bitten detectives"

    similar: appalling, atrocious, awful, dreadful, frightful, grisly, gruesome, hideous, horrendous, horrible, horrid, horrific, horrifying, lurid, macabre, monstrous, nightmare, nightmarish, shocking, terrible, terrific
    related: alarming, bloodcurdling, dire, direful, fearful, fearsome, forbidding, formidable, frightening, gut-wrenching, hair-raising, heart-stopping, intimidating, redoubtable, scary, terrifying, abhorrent, deplorable, disagreeable, disgusting, distasteful, loathsome, nauseating, noisome, obnoxious, obscene, offensive, repugnant, repulsive, revolting, sickening, abominable, evil, foul, heinous, noxious, odious, unspeakable, vile, grotesque, ugly, unsightly
    near: agreeable, appealing, attractive, delectable, delicious, delightful, enjoyable, enticing, inviting, pleasant, pleasing, pleasurable, satisfying, welcome, cheering, comforting, soothing

  2. extreme in degree, power, or effect

    "I'm afraid that there's been a ghastly misunderstanding"

    similar: acute, almighty, blistering, deep, dreadful, excruciating, explosive, exquisite, fearful, fearsome, ferocious, fierce, frightful, furious, hard, heavy, heavy-duty, hellacious, intense, intensive, keen, profound, terrible, vehement, vicious, violent
    related: accentuated, aggravated, concentrated, deepened, emphasized, enhanced, heightened, intensified, magnified, stressed, exhaustive, thorough, harsh, rigorous, severe
    opposite: light, moderate, soft
    near: feeble, weak, shallow, superficial, moderated, qualified, alleviated, eased, lightened, toned (down), abated, decreased, diminished, lessened, reduced, subdued

  3. causing fear

    "a ghastly crime that made local residents afraid to go out at night"

    similar: alarming, dire, direful, dread, dreadful, fearful, fearsome, forbidding, formidable, frightening, frightful, hair-raising, horrendous, horrible, horrifying, intimidating, redoubtable, scary, shocking, spine-chilling, terrible, terrifying
    related: daunting, demoralizing, disconcerting, discouraging, dismaying, disquieting, distressing, disturbing, perturbing, startling, threatening, troubling, trying, unnerving, bone-chilling, creepy, eerie, weird, appalling, atrocious, awful, grisly, gruesome, hideous, horrid, macabre, monstrous, nightmarish
    near: calming, comforting, consoling, inviting, lulling, pacifying, quieting, reassuring, relaxing, soothing, tranquilizing, nonintimidating, nonthreatening

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Ghastly

The most common words with a similar meaning to Ghastly:

appalling, atrocious, awful, dreadful, frightful, grisly, gruesome, hideous, horrendous, horrible, horrid, horrific, horrifying, lurid, macabre, monstrous, nightmare, nightmarish, shocking, terrible, terrific, acute, almighty, blistering, deep, excruciating, explosive, exquisite, fearful, fearsome, ferocious, fierce, furious, hard, heavy, heavy-duty, hellacious, intense, intensive, keen

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Ghastly

Words with the opposite meaning of Ghastly:

light, moderate, soft

Related Words for Ghastly

bloodcurdling, gut-wrenching, heart-stopping, abhorrent, deplorable, disagreeable, disgusting, distasteful, loathsome, nauseating, noisome, obnoxious, obscene, offensive, repugnant, repulsive, revolting, sickening, abominable, evil, foul, heinous, noxious, odious, unspeakable, vile, grotesque, ugly, unsightly, accentuated

Near Antonyms of Ghastly

agreeable, appealing, attractive, delectable, delicious, delightful, enjoyable, enticing, inviting, pleasant, pleasing, pleasurable, satisfying, welcome, cheering, comforting, soothing, feeble, weak, shallow, superficial, moderated, qualified, alleviated, eased, lightened, toned (down), abated, decreased, diminished

Word Forms of Ghastly

Inflections: ghastlier, ghastliest

Derived words: ghastliness (noun), ghastly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Ghastly

Middle English gastly, from gasten to terrify gast

First known use: 14th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Ghastly

What does "Ghastly" mean?

"Ghastly" means terrifyingly horrible to the senses, frightening. As an adjective, it is defined as: terrifyingly horrible to the senses, frightening. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Ghastly"?

Other words for "Ghastly" include appalling, atrocious, awful, dreadful, frightful, grisly, gruesome and hideous. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Ghastly" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Ghastly"?

There are 119 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Ghastly". Common alternatives include appalling, atrocious, awful, dreadful, frightful, grisly, gruesome, hideous, horrendous and horrible.

What is the opposite of "Ghastly"?

Antonyms of "Ghastly" include light, moderate and soft. Near antonyms include agreeable, appealing, attractive and delectable.

How do you use "Ghastly" in a sentence?

Examples of "Ghastly" in a sentence: "a ghastly murder that shocked even hard-bitten detectives"; "I'm afraid that there's been a ghastly misunderstanding"; "a ghastly crime that made local residents afraid to go out at night".

Is "Ghastly" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Ghastly" is an adjective.

How do you pronounce "Ghastly"?

"Ghastly" is pronounced /ˈgast-lē/ and divided into syllables as ghast·ly.

What is the origin of the word "Ghastly"?

"Ghastly" comes from Middle English gastly, from gasten to terrify gast. First known use: 14th century.