as in to frighten
to strike with fear
the old black-and-white psychological thriller still horrifies audiences
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Recent Examples of horrify
The declining judge is horrified by all this and takes him on, but a jaded staff basically just tries to keep order rather than taking Crealy’s behavior seriously.
—
Pete Hammond, Deadline, 6 Mar. 2025
Paul Cotter recalls that his father was horrified by the diagnosis.
—Laura Kwerel, NPR, 3 Mar. 2025
Image The positive response has horrified many Americans who were shocked by the brutality of the crime of which Mr. Mangione is accused: assassinating Brian Thompson, the chief executive of UnitedHealthcare, in Manhattan.
—Hurubie Meko, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2025
Rosen said the brutality of the massacre, combined with the testimony of Thompson and the other women who were assaulted, horrified the nation.
—Chelsea Bailey, CNN, 16 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for horrify
Pete Hammond, Deadline, 6 Mar. 2025
Paul Cotter recalls that his father was horrified by the diagnosis.
—Laura Kwerel, NPR, 3 Mar. 2025
Image The positive response has horrified many Americans who were shocked by the brutality of the crime of which Mr. Mangione is accused: assassinating Brian Thompson, the chief executive of UnitedHealthcare, in Manhattan.
—Hurubie Meko, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2025
Rosen said the brutality of the massacre, combined with the testimony of Thompson and the other women who were assaulted, horrified the nation.
—Chelsea Bailey, CNN, 16 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for horrify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for horrify
Verb
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Miller, of course, is aware that Trump’s intention, always, is to shock, to play the madman, and thus frighten his rivals and alter the terms of the debate.—
David Remnick,
The New Yorker,
5 Feb. 2025
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Seeing those kinds of numbers in headlines may have started to frighten U.S. consumers, data shows.—
Meghan Hall,
Sourcing Journal,
4 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Since its debut in 2012, the NBC procedural drama has released 13 seasons featuring its ensemble of dedicated firefighters, paramedics and rescue personnel who work to save the city’s residents from terrifying life-or-death situations.—
Emily Blackwood,
People.com,
27 Mar. 2025
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Charli adds as the woman’s face subtly transforms from patient to terrified.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
26 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Possibly, those who spent a lot of time looking at all kinds of NPCs are harder to scare with imperfect 3D models of people.—
Victor Erukhimov,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
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Education, management and enforcement needs to be re-evaluated so this type of transportation doesn’t continue to scare pedestrians.—
Jonathan Horwitz,
Orange County Register,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
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There are frequent shots of monkeys around this season’s White Lotus, glaring on branches just out of reach, occasionally bounding down and startling the guests.—
Joe Joyce,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
14 Mar. 2025
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With her nerves already on edge, Blanche is further startled by the arrival of her brother-in-law Stanley, a brutish drunk who has bulldozed his way into Stella’s heart.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
12 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Horrify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horrify. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.
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