Awful vs Shitty

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Awful

Top 1,000 (very common) A2 adjective

Shitty

Vulgar Top 5,000 (fairly common)

Most formal: Awful Most common: Awful

	Awful	Shitty
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/ˈɔːfl/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈɔːfl/"]/	🇬🇧 //ˈʃɪti// 🇺🇸 //ˈʃɪti//
Meaning	Very bad or terrible.	Bad or poorly done.
Example	The weather was awful, and we decided to stay indoors.	The service at the restaurant was really shitty.
Register	Neutral	Vulgar
How common	Top 1,000 (very common)	Top 5,000 (fairly common)
CEFR level	A2	-
Part of speech	adjective
Collocations	be, feel, look, just, quite, really	shitty situation, shitty attitude, shitty service, shitty weather, shitty excuse
Antonyms	wonderful, fantastic, excellent	great, excellent, wonderful, fantastic
Common mistakes	Confused with 'awesome' — 'awful' means bad, while 'awesome' means great., Using 'awful' for very small issues, when a less strong word would fit better., Overusing 'awful' in formal contexts where a different adjective might be more appropriate.	Used too casually in formal situations., Confused with 'shitty' in contexts that require a neutral tone., Mispronounced due to misunderstanding of spelling.
Usage notes	Use 'awful' to describe something that is really unpleasant or of poor quality. It's appropriate in most contexts, but can be less formal than 'terrible'. Avoid using it in overly formal writing.	Considered very informal and often offensive. Use with caution in casual conversations but avoid in formal settings or with unfamiliar people.

See it in real clips

Mama always said there's an awful lot

The Sopranos › S1 E1

Oh, isn't that awful.

Mama always said there's an awful lot

The Sopranos › S1 E1

Oh, isn't that awful.

Awful

God-awful, shitty mess.

Better Call Saul › S1 E1

before I do any more PD work for this shitty court. Sayonara, baby.

The Pitt › S1 E1

and people who get shitty care in our hallways

God-awful, shitty mess.

Better Call Saul › S1 E1

before I do any more PD work for this shitty court. Sayonara, baby.

Shitty

Frequently asked questions: Awful vs Shitty

What's the difference between Awful and Shitty?

Awful: Very bad or terrible. Shitty: Bad or poorly done.

Which is more formal: Awful and Shitty?

Awful is the most formal of these.

Which is more common: Awful and Shitty?

Awful is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Awful: The weather was awful, and we decided to stay indoors. Shitty: The service at the restaurant was really shitty.

Can I use Awful and Shitty interchangeably?

Not always. Awful and Shitty are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.