adj.
Pronunciation: ' gast-l ē
Function: adjective
Inflected Form: ghast · li · er ; -est
Etymology: Middle English gastly, from gasten to terrify ― more at GAST
Date: 14th century
1 a : terrifyingly horrible to the senses : FRIGHTENING <a ghastly crime> b : intensely unpleasant, disagreeable, or objectionable <such a life seems ghastly in its emptiness and sterility ― Aldous Huxley>
2 : resembling a ghost
3 obsolete : filled with fear
4 : very great <a ghastly mistake>
– ghast · li · ness noun
– ghastly adverb
synonyms GHASTLY , GRISLY , GRUESOME , MACABRE , LURID mean horrifying and repellent in appearance or aspect. GHASTLY suggests the terrifying aspects of corpses and ghosts <a ghastly accident>. GRISLY and GRUESOME suggest additionally the results of extreme violence or cruelty <an unusually grisly murder> <suffered a gruesome death>. MACABRE implies a morbid preoccupation with the physical aspects of death <a macabre tale of premature burial>. LURID adds to GRUESOME the suggestion of shuddering fascination with violent death and especially with murder <the lurid details of a crime>.