ghastly C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities Also spelled gashly US /ˈɡæstli/ UK /ˈɡɑːstli/ See IPA manual Meanings 1 adj causing great horror or shock; extremely unpleasant The accident scene was a ghastly sight. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 adj · causing great horror or... horriblegruesomegrislyhideousfrightfuldreadfulmacabre ↔ Opposites pleasantdelightfullovelywonderful Word family Forms ghastliness Derived forms ghastliness Related forms aghastghostghastful Etymology AI details From Middle English gastly ('terrifying'), from gasten ('to terrify'), from Old English gǣstan ('to frighten'). The silent gh- spelling was influenced by ghost. gastly Middle English gǣstan Old English View etymology graph -> Topics Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # ghastly **Type:** Word **Level:** C2+ **Part of speech:** adj **IPA (US):** /ˈɡæstli/ **IPA (UK):** /ˈɡɑːstli/ ## Meanings 1. causing great horror or shock; extremely unpleasant ## Examples - The accident scene was a ghastly sight. ## Synonyms - horrible - gruesome - grisly - hideous - frightful - dreadful - macabre ## Antonyms - pleasant - delightful - lovely - wonderful ## Derived Forms - ghastliness ## Related Forms - aghast - ghost - ghastful ## Roots and Affixes - Root: gastly - Root: gǣstan ## Etymology From Middle English gastly ('terrifying'), from gasten ('to terrify'), from Old English gǣstan ('to frighten'). The silent gh- spelling was influenced by ghost. ## AI Etymology Ghastly comes from Middle English gastly ('terrifying'), from gasten ('to terrify'), from Old English gǣstan ('to frighten'). The silent gh- spelling was influenced by ghost. The historical trail runs through Middle English gastly and Old English gǣstan. In modern use it means causing great horror or shock; extremely unpleasant. Derived formations include ghastliness; related forms include aghast, ghost, ghastful. ## Topics - Describing Qualities - Word Formation & Derivatives markdown