How do you pronounce dire?

The recorded pronunciation is /ˈdaɪ̯ə(ɹ)/.

dire

/ˈdaɪ̯ə(ɹ)/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.66 in modern English

Syllables: dire
IPA: /ˈdaɪ̯ə(ɹ)/

Scrabble Score

Letters

Syllables

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Warning of bad consequences: ill-boding; portentous.

adj

Requiring action to prevent bad consequences: urgent, pressing.

adj

Expressing bad consequences: dreadful; dismal.

adj

Bad in quality, awful, terrible.

British usage; Slang

adj

Ferocious and of intimidating appearance, like a dire wolf.

name

A surname.

Example Sentences

"dire omens"
"dire need (of)"
"One of the hidden glories of Victorian engineering is proper drains.[…]But out of sight is out of mind. And that, together with the inherent yuckiness of the subject, means that many old sewers have been neglected and are in dire need of repair."
"dire consequences; to be in dire straits"
"Cristiana Paşca Palmer, the executive secretary of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, said the destruction of the world’s biggest rainforest was a grim reminder that a fresh approach needed to stabilise the climate and prevent ecosystems from declining to a point of no return, with dire consequences for humanity."
"His dire blunder allowed her to checkmate him with her next move."

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin dīrus (“fearful, ominous”).

Origin

Source language: Latin

Word Breakdown

Root: dīrus

Usage

British usage
Slang

Inflected Forms

direr (comparative) more dire (comparative) direst (superlative) most dire (superlative) Dires (plural)

Derived Forms

direful direly direness diresome

Phrases

dire sisters dire straits dire wolf in dire straits voir dire

Frequently Paired Words

voir dire

Synonyms

foreboding inauspicious augurous baleful bodeful boding dire disastrous divine fatal ill-boding ill-fated

Rhymes With

retire inspire admire expire tyre shire aspire inquire mcguire maguire squire ire