Definition

More frightening or shocking than something else; extremely unpleasant or horrible.

Example

The movie was even ghastlier than the last one I saw.

Conversation

Did you watch that horror movie last night?

Yeah, it was even ghastlier than I expected!

Right? I could barely sleep after it.

Same here! I think I need to stick to comedies for a while.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Ghastlier → It is formed from "ghastly" (from Old English "gastlic", meaning ghostly or terrifying) and the suffix "-er" (meaning more). The word "ghastlier" means more ghostly or more terrifying than something else.

Memory Tip

Think of something that is 'more ghostly' or 'more terrifying' — 'ghastly' relates to ghosts, and '-er' indicates a comparison.

Visually Confused Words