ghastly
adjective
ghast·ly ˈgast-lē 
ghastlier; ghastliest
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
Aldous Huxley2
: resembling a ghost
3
obsolete : filled with fear
4
: very great
a ghastly mistake
ghastliness noun
ghastly adverb
Synonyms
- appalling
- atrocious
- awful
- dreadful
- frightful
- grisly
- gruesome
- grewsome
- hideous
- horrendous
- horrible
- horrid
- horrific
- horrifying
- lurid
- macabre
- monstrous
- nightmare
- nightmarish
- shocking
- terrible
- terrific
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
You're making a ghastly mistake. His room was a ghastly mess.
Recent Examples on the Web In 2008, the Ethiopian government banned its citizens from traveling for work purposes to Lebanon, in an attempt to curb ghastly numbers of deaths of its citizens there. Zecharias Zelalem, Quartz Africa, 21 May 2020 And as many states demand a balanced budget and have outlawed deficit spending, the forthcoming 2021 budgets are likely to be a ghastly sight absent serious federal relief. Nick Martin, The New Republic, 13 May 2020 There are vivid and ghastly descriptions of hemorrhagic shock, social disorder and brutality. Douglas Preston, New York Times, 1 May 2020 As for pitching, the team’s ERA stood at 5.73, inflated by ghastly numbers from several members on the staff. George M. Thomas, Cincinnati.com, 18 Mar. 2020 Also, LaMelo’s brother Lonzo has completely re-engineered his ghastly 3-point shooting stroke, which is no easy feat and might indicate that the family is getting really good basketball advice somewhere. Scott Ostler, SFChronicle.com, 14 Mar. 2020 The 42-year-old Newman was involved in a ghastly crash on the final lap of the Daytona 500 on Monday night and everyone feared the worst. Mark Long, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Feb. 2020 The ghastly prospect that the coronavirus outbreak could become the first truly disruptive pandemic of the globalization era is renewing doubts over the stability of the world economy. Craig Stirling, Time, 25 Feb. 2020 Videos shared on Twitter show ghastly scenes in which people infected with the virus simply collapse in the street as doctors wearing hazmat suits tend to the illness. Spencer Neale, Washington Examiner, 30 Jan. 2020 See More
Zecharias Zelalem, Quartz Africa, 21 May 2020 And as many states demand a balanced budget and have outlawed deficit spending, the forthcoming 2021 budgets are likely to be a ghastly sight absent serious federal relief. Nick Martin, The New Republic, 13 May 2020 There are vivid and ghastly descriptions of hemorrhagic shock, social disorder and brutality. Douglas Preston, New York Times, 1 May 2020 As for pitching, the team’s ERA stood at 5.73, inflated by ghastly numbers from several members on the staff. George M. Thomas, Cincinnati.com, 18 Mar. 2020 Also, LaMelo’s brother Lonzo has completely re-engineered his ghastly 3-point shooting stroke, which is no easy feat and might indicate that the family is getting really good basketball advice somewhere. Scott Ostler, SFChronicle.com, 14 Mar. 2020 The 42-year-old Newman was involved in a ghastly crash on the final lap of the Daytona 500 on Monday night and everyone feared the worst. Mark Long, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Feb. 2020 The ghastly prospect that the coronavirus outbreak could become the first truly disruptive pandemic of the globalization era is renewing doubts over the stability of the world economy. Craig Stirling, Time, 25 Feb. 2020 Videos shared on Twitter show ghastly scenes in which people infected with the virus simply collapse in the street as doctors wearing hazmat suits tend to the illness. Spencer Neale, Washington Examiner, 30 Jan. 2020 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English gastly, from gasten to terrify — more at gast
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Kids Definition
ghastly
adjective
ghast·ly ˈgast-lē
ghastlier; ghastliest
1
: very shocking or horrible
a ghastly crime
a ghastly mistake
2
: like a ghost : pale
a ghastly face
ghastly
adjective
1
as in gruesome
extremely disturbing or repellent a ghastly murder that shocked even hard-bitten detectives Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- gruesome
- horrific
- horrible
- shocking
- terrible
- hideous
- nightmare
- horrifying
- dreadful
- frightening
- awful
- terrifying
- horrid
- grisly
- appalling
- terrific
- nightmarish
- macabre
- horrendous
- frightful
- scary
- sickening
- atrocious
- monstrous
- lurid
- disgusting
- grotesque
- ugly
- loathsome
- alarming
- revolting
- fearful
- abominable
- heinous
- obscene
- grewsome
- repulsive
- dire
- odious
- direful
- unspeakable
- intimidating
- formidable
- abhorrent
- fearsome
- vile
- repugnant
- deplorable
- nauseating
- disagreeable
- forbidding
- obnoxious
- offensive
- bloodcurdling
- distasteful
- evil
- gut-wrenching
- noxious
- hair-raising
- redoubtable
- noisome
- unsightly
- heart-stopping
- foul
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- delightful
- pleasant
- attractive
- delicious
- agreeable
- appealing
- delectable
- enjoyable
- satisfying
- welcome
- pleasurable
- pleasing
- enticing
- inviting
- comforting
- soothing
- cheering
2
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect I'm afraid that there's been a ghastly misunderstanding Synonyms & Similar Words
- intense
- terrible
- intensive
- ferocious
- fierce
- dreadful
- deep
- furious
- violent
- heavy
- frightful
- vicious
- profound
- acute
- fearsome
- fearful
- exquisite
- explosive
- excruciating
- blistering
- vehement
- almighty
- hellacious
- keen
- heightened
- hard
- intensified
- harsh
- aggravated
- heavy-duty
- severe
- enhanced
- concentrated
- accentuated
- deepened
- magnified
- emphasized
- stressed
- exhaustive
- thorough
- rigorous
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- light
- feeble
- soft
- moderate
- weak
- superficial
- shallow
- qualified
- subdued
- decreased
- eased
- reduced
- diminished
- toned (down)
- moderated
- lightened
- lessened
- alleviated
- abated
3
as in terrifying
causing fear a ghastly crime that made local residents afraid to go out at night Synonyms & Similar Words
- terrifying
- horrible
- frightening
- terrible
- formidable
- scary
- intimidating
- horrifying
- dreadful
- dread
- alarming
- shocking
- horrendous
- frightful
- eerie
- fearful
- gruesome
- creepy
- startling
- fearsome
- forbidding
- direful
- dire
- trying
- spine-chilling
- eery
- troubling
- redoubtable
- hideous
- disturbing
- hair-raising
- unnerving
- threatening
- disconcerting
- grisly
- discouraging
- daunting
- disquieting
- perturbing
- horrid
- weird
- nightmarish
- appalling
- dismaying
- demoralizing
- awful
- macabre
- distressing
- monstrous
- atrocious
- bone-chilling
- grewsome
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- reassuring
- comforting
- soothing
- calming
- consoling
- inviting
- relaxing
- tranquilizing
- quieting
- tranquillizing
- nonthreatening
- lulling
- nonintimidating
- pacifying
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of ghastly are grisly, gruesome, lurid, and macabre. While all these words mean "horrifying and repellent in appearance or aspect," ghastly suggests the terrifying aspects of corpses and ghosts.
a ghastly accident
Both grisly and gruesome suggest additionally the results of extreme violence or cruelty.
an unusually grisly murder
suffered a gruesome death
Lurid adds to gruesome the suggestion of shuddering fascination with violent death and especially with murder.
the lurid details of a crime
Although the words macabre and ghastly have much in common, macabre implies a morbid preoccupation with the physical aspects of death.
a macabre tale of premature burial
- circumnutated
- circumnutates
- circumnutating
- circumnutation
- circumnutations
- circumplanetary
- circumpolar
- circumposed
- circumposes
- circumposing
- circumposition
- circumpositions
- circumradius
- circumrotated
- circumrotates
- circumrotating
- circumrotations
- circumscissile
- circumscribable
- circumscribe
- circumscribed
- circumscribers
- circumscribes
- circumscribing
- circumscription