The term 'in an awful way' can be broken down into four crossword solutions: abhorrently (11 letters), BADLY (5 letters), DREADFULLY (10 letters), and odiously (8 letters). Abhorrently means to feel or express strong dislike or hatred for something, while BADLY means not good or satisfactory. DREADFULLY means extremely bad or unpleasant, and odiously means in a way that is hateful or morally repugnant. All of these words describe the same concept - in an awful way - but each word has its own unique connotation.