dire

adjective
UK: /ˈdaɪər/
US: /ˈdaɪər/

  1. Very serious or extreme.

    1. The company is in dire need of help now.
    2. These people are in dire straits and desperately need assistance to survive dire situations.

  2. Causing great fear or worry.

    1. The future looks dire because of the storms.
    2. The consequences of failing to act on climate change are dire and will impact future generations.

  3. Of a very poor quality.

    1. The food was dire, and so was the service.
    2. The film received dire reviews, with critics panning its plot and acting.

Synonyms

terrible awful dreadful urgent critical desperate

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "dire" in English means: Very serious or extreme., Causing great fear or worry., Of a very poor quality..

The phonetic transcription of "dire" is /ˈdaɪər/ in British English and /ˈdaɪər/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "dire": terrible, awful, dreadful, urgent, critical, desperate.

Example usage of "dire": "The company is in dire need of help now.". More examples on the page.