Definitions

ghastly

[gast-lee] / ˈgæst li /

ADJECTIVE

horrifying, dreadful; pale

Synonyms

STRONGEST

appalling awful frightening frightful ghostly ghoulish grim grisly gruesome hideous horrendous horrible horrid lurid macabre shocking sickening terrible terrifying unpleasant

WEAK

abhorrent anemic ashen bloodless cadaverous corpselike deathlike dim disgusting faint funereal haggard livid loathsome mortuary nauseating offensive pallid repellent repulsive sepulchral spectral supernatural uncanny unearthly unnatural wan weak wraithlike

Antonyms

STRONGEST

beautiful comforting delightful good great nice pleasant pleasing pretty wonderful

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

While adamantly miserabilist, it does have a plot or at least one shocking plot point that’s so ghastly it made me giddy.

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026

Messrs. Hanke and Walker write that the fiscal picture is far worse even than it appears on the ghastly federal balance sheet:

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

Meanwhile, the sumptuous imagery and amiable pacing of “Wuthering Heights” trounce del Toro’s ghastly slog of a film.

From Salon • Feb. 23, 2026

The commissioner described Panorama's footage, obtained by secret filming, as "vile to watch", calling the officers involved "ghastly, ghastly individuals".

From BBC • Oct. 2, 2025

These things—even the thing in the cellar—were illusions, things made by the other mother in a ghastly parody of the real people and real things on the other end of the corridor.

From "Coraline" by Neil Gaiman

Vocabulary lists containing ghastly

"The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe

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100 SAT Words Beginning with "G"

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"The Open Window"

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!