adj
dire
DEYE-uh
adj
1
Extremely serious or urgent, often warning of disaster.
"The country is in dire need of humanitarian aid."
"Doctors warned of dire consequences if she skipped treatment."
2
(informal) Extremely bad in quality.
"The film's reviews were absolutely dire."
How to Use Dire
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishVery serious, urgent, or alarming — or, informally, just very bad.
Common pairings
dire consequences
dire need
dire straits
dire warning
Word Forms
direr comparative, more dire comparative, Dires plural, direst superlative, most dire superlative
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The country is in _____ need of humanitarian aid.
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin dīrus, meaning "fearful" or "ominous."