dire

UK: /ˈdaɪə^r/ US: /daɪr/ ,(dī^ər)

Inflections of 'dire' (adj):

direr

adj comparative

direst

adj superlative

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

dire /daɪr/   adj., dir•er, dir•est. 

1. causing or involving great fear or suffering;
   terrible:
   dire consequences.
2. indicating trouble, disaster, or the like:
   [before a noun] dire predictions of famine.
3. urgent;
   desperate:
   in dire need of help.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

dire  (dī^ər), adj., dir•er, dir•est. 

1. causing or involving great fear or suffering;
   dreadful;
   terrible:
   a dire calamity.
2. indicating trouble, disaster, misfortune, or the like:
   dire predictions about the stock market.
3. urgent;
   desperate:
   in dire need of food.

• Latin dīrus fearful, unlucky
• 1560–70

dire′ly, adv. 
dire′ness, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

dire / daɪə/ adjective (usually prenominal)

1. Also: direful disastrous; fearful
2. desperate; urgent: a dire need
3. foreboding disaster; ominous

Etymology: 16th Century: from Latin dīrus ominous, fearful; related to Greek deos fear

ˈdirely adverb

ˈdireness noun