ghastly

ghast-ly · adjective

imported

Definitions

adjective

  1. 1.

    Causing great horror or fear; frightful or macabre.

  2. 2.

    Extremely unpleasant or bad.

  3. 3.

    (of a person) Deathly pale; looking ill.

  4. 4.

    (British, informal) Very unpleasant or objectionable.

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    ghastly pale — extremely pale, as if ill or frightened
  • •
    ghastly mistake — a terrible error
  • •
    look ghastly — to appear very unwell

Related words

Antonyms: lovely, pleasant, wonderful
See also: dreadful, ghost, horrible, pale
Synonyms: dreadful, horrible, horrific, terrible

Etymology

From Middle English gastly ("terrifying"), from gasten ("to frighten") + -ly. The gh spelling developed by association with ghost. Related to Old English gæstan ("to torment").