dire

US /daɪr/

UK /daɪr/

1.

extremely serious or urgent

:

•

The country is in dire need of aid.

•

The situation is becoming increasingly dire.

:

urgent critical desperate grave serious

2.

presaging disaster

:

•

The dire warnings of the scientists were ignored.

•

He painted a dire picture of the future.

:

ominous calamitous dreadful grim apocalyptic

:

in dire straits