ghastly
gb/ɡˈæstli/ us/ɡˈæstli/
B2
English
~ 5900
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B2
property
1
extremely bad or unpleasant
Very bad or very unpleasant, so that people strongly do not like it.
Usage pattern:
a ghastly [thing/event]; [something] is ghastly
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "ghastly" is only used for horror or ghosts, but in modern English it is often used more broadly to mean "very bad" or "very unpleasant" (for food, hotels, weather, etc.). It is also sometimes confused with "ghostly" (related to ghosts), which is different.
Synonyms
awful (Very close in meaning; slightly more common and less dramatic than "ghastly".)
|
dreadful (Similar strength, but can sound a bit more old-fashioned or formal in some contexts.)
Antonyms
wonderful (Expresses the opposite strong, positive reaction to quality or experience.)
|
pleasant (Focuses on something that is enjoyable or nice, the opposite of unpleasant and ghastly.)
Collocations
ghastly mistake
|ghastly mess
|ghastly weather
|ghastly performance
|ghastly noise
|absolutely ghastly
Themes
opinions
|daily life
|feelings
|core_vocabulary
|daily_life
Examples
- The food at that new restaurant was absolutely ghastly.
- He realized he had made a ghastly error in the report.
- We spent a week in a ghastly hotel that smelled of damp.
- The play got ghastly reviews from the critics.
- I had a ghastly time at the party and left early.
Learner examples
- The coffee tastes ghastly, so I cannot drink it.
- She had a ghastly day at work and wants to sleep.
- This movie is ghastly; I do not want to watch it.
- The bathroom was in a ghastly state when we arrived.
- They made a ghastly mistake in the contract.
adjective
B2
property
2
looking very ill or pale
Looking very sick, tired, or afraid, usually with a very white face.
Usage pattern:
[someone] looks ghastly; a ghastly face
Common mistake:
Learners may think "ghastly" only describes things, not people, but it is common to say someone "looks ghastly" or "feels ghastly" to describe illness or shock.
Synonyms
deathly pale (Stronger and more dramatic, directly comparing the person’s paleness to death.)
|
sickly (Suggests a generally unhealthy look, often weaker than the sudden shock implied by "ghastly".)
Antonyms
healthy (Describes someone who looks well and full of energy, opposite of sickly and ghastly.)
|
radiant (Emphasizes a bright, attractive appearance, opposite of pale and drained.)
Collocations
look ghastly
|feel ghastly
|ghastly pale
|ghastly face
|ghastly expression
|ghastly color
Themes
health
|emotions
|appearance
|body
Examples
- You look absolutely ghastly—are you sure you’re okay?
- After three nights without sleep, he appeared ghastly in the mirror.
- She went ghastly pale when she heard the bad news.
- He felt ghastly all morning and decided to stay in bed.
- The child’s face was ghastly with fear as the dog ran toward her.
Learner examples
- She looks ghastly today; maybe she is ill.
- He felt ghastly after the long flight.
- When he saw the accident, he went ghastly pale.
- I had the flu and looked ghastly for a week.
- You look ghastly; you should see a doctor.
adjective
C1
property
3
horrifying, shocking, or gruesome
Very shocking and terrible to see or think about, often because it is bloody, violent, or very sad.
Usage pattern:
a ghastly [scene/event/crime]; ghastly details
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse "ghastly" for any bad thing. This sense is best for very serious, shocking, or violent events, not small everyday problems like a boring meeting.
Synonyms
gruesome (Focuses more directly on shocking, often bloody physical details; very close in strength.)
|
horrific (Very strong and formal; used a lot in news for serious disasters or crimes.)
Antonyms
harmless (Describes something that cannot hurt or seriously disturb, opposite of horrifying and dangerous.)
|
comforting (Gives a feeling of safety or calm, the emotional opposite of ghastly horror.)
Collocations
ghastly murder
|ghastly accident
|ghastly scene
|ghastly discovery
|ghastly crime
|ghastly details
Themes
crime
|violence
|news
|fear
|emotions
|arts_entertainment
Examples
- The police described a ghastly scene when they entered the house.
- Several children died in a ghastly road accident last night.
- The film shows the ghastly realities of war.
- They made a ghastly discovery in the abandoned building.
- The documentary included ghastly images that some viewers found too disturbing.
Learner examples
- The news showed a ghastly accident on the highway.
- The horror movie had some very ghastly scenes.
- Rescuers came upon a ghastly sight after the storm.
- The reporter talked about the ghastly details of the crime.
- People were shocked by the ghastly images on TV.
adverb
informal
C1
property
4
extremely; very (informal)
(Informal, mainly British) Used before an adjective or adverb to mean "very" or "extremely," usually about something bad.
Usage pattern:
ghastly [adjective/adverb] (e.g., ghastly expensive)
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize "ghastly" can be an adverb. This use is mainly informal and more common in British English. It is usually used with negative ideas (ghastly expensive, ghastly wrong), not with positive ones.
Synonyms
terribly (Very close informal intensifier; slightly more common and can be used with good or bad things ("terribly sorry").)
|
awfully (Similar informal strength; can sound a bit old-fashioned in some dialects.)
Antonyms
slightly (Indicates a small degree, opposite of the strong degree expressed by "ghastly" as an adverb.)
|
hardly (Suggests almost not at all, contrasting with the strong emphasis of "ghastly".)
Collocations
ghastly wrong
|ghastly expensive
|ghastly late
|ghastly busy
|ghastly hard
Themes
informal
|degree
|opinions
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The tickets were ghastly expensive, but she bought them anyway.
- Something has gone ghastly wrong with this project.
- I’m ghastly sorry I missed your call.
- We left ghastly late and missed the beginning of the show.
Learner examples
- The dress is ghastly expensive, so I cannot buy it.
- We were ghastly late for the meeting.
- Something went ghastly wrong with my computer.
- I feel ghastly tired after the trip.
Grammar
Dictionary form
ghastly
IPA
GB/ɡˈæstli/
US/ɡˈæstli/
Syllables & stress
ghastly (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (ghastly)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: ghastly
- Comparative: ghastlier
- Superlative: ghastliest
Word family
Forms
ghastlier
adjective
ghastliest
adjective
Related words
aghast
adjective B2
Advanced or less common
ghastliness
noun
Expressions
feel ghastly
1/fˈil ɡˈæstli/
fixed phrase
feel very ill or unwell
To feel very sick, very tired, or generally very bad in your body or mind.
Examples
- I feel ghastly today, so I’m going to stay in bed.
- She felt ghastly after eating the seafood and had to see a doctor.
ghastly mess
1/ɡˈæstli mˈɛs/
fixed phrase
a very bad mess or situation
A place or situation that is in a very bad, dirty, or confused state.
Examples
- The kitchen was a ghastly mess after the party.
- The new law has created a ghastly mess for small businesses.
ghastly mistake
1/ɡˈæstli mɪstˈeɪk/
fixed phrase
a very serious mistake
A mistake that is very bad and has strong or serious results.
Examples
- Realizing he had deleted the only copy of the file, he knew he’d made a ghastly mistake.
- Publishing the report without checking the data was a ghastly mistake.
ghastly murder
1/ɡˈæstli mˈɚdɚ/
fixed phrase
extremely shocking killing
A killing that is very shocking, often because it is very violent or cruel.
Examples
- The paper carried a long story about a ghastly murder in the city center.
- Police are still investigating the ghastly murder of the elderly couple.
ghastly silence
1/ɡˈæstli sˈaɪləns/
fixed phrase
literary
deep, uncomfortable silence
A complete and uncomfortable silence, often after something strange or shocking happens.
Examples
- After he made the joke about her job, there was a ghastly silence around the table.
- The announcement was followed by a ghastly silence in the room.
look ghastly
1/lˈʊk ɡˈæstli/
fixed phrase
appear very ill or pale
To look very sick, very tired, or very pale, so other people can see something is wrong.
Examples
- You look ghastly—go home and rest.
- He looked ghastly when he came out of the hospital.