horrendous

adjective

hor·​ren·​dous hȯ-ˈren-dəs How to pronounce horrendous (audio)
hä-,
hə-
: extremely bad or unpleasant : horrible, dreadful
His audition was horrendous.
horrendous crimes
horrendously adverb

Examples of horrendous in a Sentence

Her taste in clothes is horrendous. a horrendous explosion shook the building
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
All the while, Elon Musk—a far-right activist and the site’s owner, who is campaigning for and giving away millions to help elect Donald Trump—amplifies horrendous conspiracy theories about voter fraud, migrants run amok, and the idea that Jewish people hate white people. Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 5 Nov. 2024 The 31-year-old southpaw got off to a horrendous start to this season after missing spring training due to contract negotiations. Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024 The juxtaposition between such comforts and the horrendous history underscoring the trip spins Benji around. Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 31 Oct. 2024 As the episodes progress, The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story takes a more serious turn, focusing more on the horrendous nature of their father’s abuse and demonstrating genuine compassion for both of them. Jen Chaney, Vulture, 20 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for horrendous 

Word History

Etymology

Latin horrendus "inspiring terror or awe, dreadful" (gerundive of horrēre "to be stiffly erect, bristle, shudder, shiver") + -ous — more at horror entry 1

First Known Use

1659, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of horrendous was in 1659

Dictionary Entries Near horrendous

Cite this Entry

“Horrendous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/horrendous. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

horrendous

adjective
hor·​ren·​dous hȯ-ˈren-dəs How to pronounce horrendous (audio)
hä-,
hə-
horrendously adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on horrendous

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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