Awful vs Loathsome - What's the difference?

Awful is a related term of loathsome.

As adjectives the difference between awful and loathsome

is that awful is oppressing with fear or horror; appalling, terrible while loathsome is highly offensive; sickening, abominable.

As an adverb awful

is (colloquial) 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.

External links

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loathsome

English

Adjective

(en adjective)

highly offensive; sickening, abominable

Usage notes

* Nouns to which "loathsome" is often applied: disease, creature, thing, person, man, woman, dungeon, place, world, smell, act.

External links

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