
[Alteration (influenced by GHOST) of Middle English gastli, from gasten, to terrify. See aghast.]
ghastliness ghast'li·ness n.SYNONYMS ghastly, grim, gruesome, grisly, macabre, lurid. These adjectives describe what is shockingly repellent in aspect or appearance. Ghastly applies to what inspires shock or horror because it suggests death: ghastly wounds. Grim refers to what repels because of its stern or fierce aspect or its harsh, relentless nature: the grim task of burying the victims of the earthquake. Gruesome and grisly describe what horrifies or revolts because of its appalling crudity or utter inhumanity: a gruesome murder; grisly jokes about cadavers. Macabre suggests the horror of death and decay: macabre stories about a madman. Lurid sometimes refers to an unnatural hue suggestive of death: The ill patient's skin took on a lurid pallor. More often, the term describes what shocks because of its terrible and ghastly nature: lurid crimes. At other times, it merely refers to glaring and usually unsavory sensationalism: a lurid account of the accident.
adjective
Definition: horrifying, dreadful
Antonyms: delightful, pleasant, pleasing, wonderful
adv
Definition: horrifying
Antonyms: pleasant
If nobody said anything unless he knew what he was talking about, a ghastly hush would descend upon the earth.
— Sir Alan Patrick Herbert (1890-1971).
Tutor's tip: A "ghostly" (looking like a ghost) apparition looks "ghastly" (frightening) to the unexpecting viewer.
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Dansk (Danish)
adj. - frygtelig, afskyelig, grufuld
Nederlands (Dutch)
verschrikkelijk, akelig, doodsbleek
Français (French)
adj. - horrible, blafard, épouvantable, blême, livide
adv. - horriblement, effroyablement
Deutsch (German)
adj. - schrecklich, furchtbar, unheimlich, leichenblaß
adv. - schrecklich, furchtbar
Ελληνική (Greek)
adj. - πελιδνός, κατάχλομος, απαίσιος, φρικτός
adv. - αρρωστημένα
Italiano (Italian)
terribile, sgradevole, pallido come un morto
Português (Portuguese)
adj. - horrível, cadavérico, chocante, muito ruim (coloq.), desagradável (coloq.)
adv. - horrivelmente, cadavericamente, lividamente
Русский (Russian)
ужасный, призрачный, ужасно
Español (Spanish)
adj. - terrible, horrible, espeluznante, escalofriante, pálido, lívido
adv. - terriblemente, horriblemente, en forma escalofriante
Svenska (Swedish)
adj. - hemsk, gräslig, spöklik
adv. - hemskt, spöklikt
中文(简体)(Chinese (Simplified))
可怕的, 惨白的, 惊人的
中文(繁體)(Chinese (Traditional))
adj. - 可怕的, 慘白的, 驚人的
한국어 (Korean)
adj. - 매우 무서운, 질린, 괴로운
日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - ぞっとするような, 恐ろしい, 青ざめた, ひどい, いやな, ものすごい
adv. - 恐ろしく, 青ざめて
العربيه (Arabic)
(صفه) مروع, شنيع (ظرف) بشكل مروع
עברית (Hebrew)
adj. - חיוור, מזעזע, כמו מת, נורא, דוחה, לא נעים
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