direr

Adjective

dire (comparative direr or more dire, superlative direst or most dire)

1. Warning of bad consequences: ill-boding; portentous.
   • dire omens

   Synonyms:

   foreboding, inauspicious, augurous, baleful, bodeful, boding, disastrous, divine, fatal, ill-boding

2. Requiring action to prevent bad consequences: urgent, pressing.
   • dire need (of)

   Synonyms:

   acute, exigent, bad, clamant, crying, sore, imperious, instant, rash, severe

3. Expressing bad consequences: dreadful; dismal.
   • dire consequences; to be in dire straits

   Synonyms:

   bleak, gloomy, cheerless, comfortless, dark, morose, depressing, desolate, disconsolate, dismal

4. (UK, slang) Bad in quality, awful, terrible.
   • His dire blunder allowed her to checkmate him with her next move.

   Synonyms:

   foul, lousy, abysmal, atrocious, awful, bad, chronic, coarse, corny, crap

5. Ferocious and of intimidating appearance, like a dire wolf.

See all 6 meanings of dire