Refine this word faster

Stronger alternatives Opposite tone Use in context Cross-language nuance

Penny dreadful

noun

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A cheap paperback book, particularly those concerning lurid depictions of crime in the Victorian era.

    "They can read the ‘penny dreadful’, but they cannot darn their stockings or mend their shoes."

  2. 2
    a melodramatic paperback novel wordnet
  3. 3
    Pulp fiction: stories written in the lurid style of the penny dreadfuls.

Etymology

From its low price and the lower-class British use of dreadful (“sensationalized crime reporting”).

See also for "penny dreadful"

Synonyms Antonyms Rhymes Sentences Translate Word Type Pronunciation Word Forms

Next best steps

Find stronger synonymsSee usage examplesCheck pronunciation

Mini challenge

Want a quick game? Try Word Finder.