dire

[ dahyuhr ]

adjective

, dir·er, dir·est.

1. causing or involving great fear or suffering; dreadful; terrible:

   a dire calamity.

2. indicating trouble, disaster, misfortune, or the like:

   dire predictions about the stock market.

3. urgent; desperate:

   in dire need of food.

dire

/ daɪə /

adjective

1. Alsodireful disastrous; fearful
2. desperate; urgent

   a dire need

3. foreboding disaster; ominous

   a dire warning

Derived Forms

• ˈdireness, noun
• ˈdirely, adverb

Other Words From

• direly adverb
• direness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of dire¹

First recorded in 1560–70, dire is from the Latin word dīrus fearful, unlucky

Word History and Origins

Origin of dire¹

C16: from Latin dīrus ominous, fearful; related to Greek deos fear

Example Sentences

Without any access to supplies, conditions underground are said to be dire.

From BBC

His death is particularly difficult, Gyamfi said, because Brown had shown her he was persistently fighting to improve himself and, in the most dire of circumstances at times, to live.

From Los Angeles Times

The warnings Wednesday morning were dire: Southern Ventura County was primed to be hit with the region’s most ferocious Santa Ana wind event in years, creating extremely critical fire weather in the area.

From Los Angeles Times

That landscape could turn even more dire with the reelection of Donald Trump.

From Los Angeles Times

The people who understand how dire this situation is are terrified right now.

From Salon

Related Words

• alarming
• appalling
• awful
• calamitous
• cataclysmic
• catastrophic
• depressing
• disastrous
• dismal
• distressing
• dreadful
• gloomy
• grim
• horrible
• lamentable
• shocking
• ugly
• unfortunate