Dictionary Home » Dictionary Definitions » ghastly

ghastly

Listen See in Thesaurus See in a sentence

The definition of ghastly is something repellent, horrible, frightful, ugly, macabre or sickly.

(adjective)

Bad injuries that are so horrible you have to look away are an example of ghastly injuries.
A person who is very pale and sick is an example of someone who would be described as looking ghastly.
A really ugly wallpaper is an example of something you would describe as ghastly wallpaper.

See ghastly in Webster's New World College Dictionary

horrible; frightful
ghostlike; pale; haggard
Informal very bad or unpleasant

Origin: ME gastli < gast, frightened, pp. of gasten, to frighten < OE gæstan < gæst, var. of gast (see ghost): meaning infl. in ME by gostlich, ghostly

Related Forms:

ghastliness noun

See ghastly in American Heritage Dictionary 4

adjective ghast·li·er, ghast·li·est

Inspiring shock, revulsion, or horror by or as if by suggesting death; terrifying: a ghastly murder.
Suggestive of or resembling ghosts.
Extremely unpleasant or bad: “in the most abominable passage of his ghastly little book” (Conor Cruise O'Brien).
Very serious or great: a ghastly error.

Origin:

Origin: Alteration (influenced by ghost)

Origin: of Middle English gastli

Origin: , from gasten, to terrify; see aghast

Related Forms: