beastly
5 synonyms and 2 antonyms for beastly, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adj — Extremely unpleasant, cruel, or disgusting.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
How to use beastly
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
beastly weather
beastly cold
a beastly habit
Has a somewhat dated, upper-class British flavour, as in "beastly weather."
Etymology
From Middle English bestely, formed from beast + -ly.
Full origin of beastly →Frequently asked questions
What does “beastly” mean?
The word “beastly” means extremely unpleasant, cruel, or disgusting. In plain terms, nasty or unpleasant — often used in old-fashioned or dry British understatement.
How do you pronounce “beastly”?
“Beastly” is pronounced BEEST-lee (/ˈbiːstli/ in IPA).
How do you use “beastly” in a sentence?
Here is “beastly” used in a sentence: “The weather has been absolutely beastly this week.”
What part of speech is “beastly”?
Depending on how it is used, “beastly” can be an adjective and an adverb.
Where does the word “beastly” come from?
The word “beastly” comes from Middle English. From Middle English bestely, formed from beast + -ly.
How many meanings does “beastly” have?
“Beastly” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: extremely unpleasant, cruel, or disgusting.
Related words
nature of the beast
