adj

ghastly

GAHS-lee

Ghastly (adj) means Extremely unpleasant, shocking, or horrifying. Example: “The crash scene was truly ghastly.”

adj

Extremely unpleasant, shocking, or horrifying.

"The crash scene was truly ghastly."

"She described the ghastly conditions in the flooded village."

Pale and deathly-looking.

"His face turned a ghastly shade of grey."

(informal, especially British) Very bad or unpleasant, used for milder complaints as well as serious horror.

"What a ghastly hotel — the room smelled awful."

How to use ghastly

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishHorrifying or deathly-looking, though British speakers also use it loosely for anything simply awful.

Common pairings

ghastly sight ghastly mistake look ghastly

Word forms

ghastlier comparative, more ghastly comparative, ghastlier comparative, ghastliest superlative, most ghastly superlative, ghastliest superlative

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The crash scene was truly _____.

Etymology

From Middle English gastly, related to "ghost" and originally meaning "terrifying" or "deathly pale" — the gh spelling crept in later by association with "ghost."

Origin: Middle English

Rhymes for ghastly

lastly vastly beastly

See all rhymes for ghastly →

Frequently asked questions

What does “ghastly” mean?

The word “ghastly” means extremely unpleasant, shocking, or horrifying. In plain terms, horrifying or deathly-looking, though British speakers also use it loosely for anything simply awful.

How do you pronounce “ghastly”?

“Ghastly” is pronounced GAHS-lee (/ˈɡæs(t).li/ in IPA).

How do you use “ghastly” in a sentence?

Here is “ghastly” used in a sentence: “The crash scene was truly ghastly.”

What part of speech is “ghastly”?

“Ghastly” is an adjective.

Where does the word “ghastly” come from?

The word “ghastly” comes from Middle English. From Middle English gastly, related to "ghost" and originally meaning "terrifying" or "deathly pale" — the gh spelling crept in later by association with "ghost.".

How many meanings does “ghastly” have?

“Ghastly” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: extremely unpleasant, shocking, or horrifying.