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Definition of dire

dire

/ˈdaɪ.ər/
dire
Adverb:direly
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dire Lexical Profile

dire Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Extremely serious, urgent, or terrible; warning of or having dreadful consequences.

Example

"The region is in dire need of clean drinking water following the prolonged drought."

2

British Of a very poor quality; dismal or awful.

Example

"The acting in the low-budget sequel was absolutely dire from start to finish."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for dire

• Nearby Words

dipsacus
dipshit
dipstick
dire
direct
directedness
direction

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the mid-16th century from Latin dirus ('fearful, ominous, dreadful'), which is cognate with Ancient Greek deinos ('terrible') and ultimately stems from the Proto-Indo-European root *dwey- ('to fear').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Dire. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/dire
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