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Awful vs Intolerable - What's the difference?

awful | intolerable | Related terms |

As adjectives the difference between awful and intolerable

is that awful is oppressing with fear or horror; appalling, terrible while intolerable is not tolerable; not capable of being borne or endured; not proper or right to be allowed; insufferable; insupportable; unbearable.

As an adverb awful

is very, extremely; as, an awful big house.

awful

English

Alternative forms

* awfull (archaic)

Adjective

(en-adj)
  • Oppressing with fear or horror; appalling, terrible.
  • Inspiring awe; filling with profound reverence or respect; profoundly impressive.
  • *, I.56:
    • God ought not to be commixed in our actions, but with awful reverence, and an attention full of honour and respect.
  • * 1819 , Lord Byron, Don Juan , II.143:
    • And then she stopped, and stood as if in awe / (For sleep is awful ).
  • Struck or filled with awe.
  • (obsolete) Terror-stricken.
  • Worshipful; reverential; law-abiding.
  • Exceedingly great; usually applied intensively.
    • an awful bonnet
    I have learnt an awful amount today.
  • Very bad.
    • My socks smell awful .

    Usage notes

    * Nouns to which "awful" is often applied: day, truth, time, place, moment, mess, night, news, state, situation, smell, thought, person, pain, movie, consequence, crime, fate, death, tragedy, man, event, disease, story, condition, mistake, taste, picture, year, calamity, doom, film, catastrophe, secret, performance, storm, end, week, shape, choice.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Adverb

    (-)
  • (colloquial) Very, extremely; as, an awful big house.

    • See also

    * awfully.

    External links

    * *

    intolerable

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Not tolerable; not capable of being borne or endured; not proper or right to be allowed; insufferable; insupportable; unbearable.
  • Extremely offensive or insulting.
  • * 1971 , William S. Burroughs, The Wild Boys: A Book of the Dead , page 4
    • It is an intolerable sound that sets spoons tinkling in saucers and windowpanes vibrating.

    Usage notes

    * Nouns to which "intolerable" is often applied: cruelty, burden, situation, condition, pain, heat, position, life, state, suffering, evil, risk, insult, hardship, agony, behavior, affront, insolence, stress, consequence, people.

    Derived terms

    * intolerability * intolerableness * intolerably

    References

    * *