1
as in terrifying
causing fear
couldn't sleep after reading a horrifying tale of evil a horrifying scream brought people running from all directions to see what was wrong
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in gruesome
extremely disturbing or repellent
the horrifying sight of a rat running through the restaurant's kitchen
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in frightening
to strike with fear
the old black-and-white psychological thriller still horrifies audiences
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of horrifying
Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2026
Spending one night in such conditions is already a horrifying thought, but spending several years is an unthinkable ordeal.
—Pavlo Fedykovych, CNN Money, 12 June 2026
Emmet Truesdale enrolls in a clinical trial for a new weight loss product and, while the results are miraculous, the side effects are nothing short of horrifying.
—Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026
The last episode involved horrifying doll monsters and a very illuminating mushroom trip.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 29 May 2026
Having catalogued the Black Death’s horrifying effects, Ibn Khatima went on to outline a series of preventative measures and active treatments designed to combat this merciless scourge.
—Literary Hub, 27 May 2026
The objects and beings studied by your book’s Antimemetics Division range from horrifying and potentially world-destroying to just kind of weird.
—Sarah Lewin Frasier, Scientific American, 27 May 2026
His wish is granted to horrifying results that have won over critics, who gave it a 94 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 27 May 2026
But needy, possessive Nikki smothers Bear, and what plays out is a horrifying tale of obsessive love gone wrong — sour, curdled and violent.
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 23 May 2026
Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026
The complications are horrifying doctors.
—Sara Moniuszko, USA Today, 29 May 2026
In the years since Boogie Nights, Leo has made an unlikely hit out of The Man in the Iron Mask, then took the role of Patrick Bateman in American Psycho, showing off his range and turning that surreal and often horrifying movie into another $100 million feather in his cap.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2026
The visage, created by Universal Studio’s then-lead makeup artist Jack Pierce for the 1931 film, was horrifying enough that its influence endured for almost 100 years.
—Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2025
No special effects were required to trigger Curry's stark drift from amiability to horrifying emptiness.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Oct. 2025
Television cameras captured the ensuing violence, horrifying much of the nation.
—Time, 12 Sep. 2025
The grisly murder stayed a local story until horrifying CCTV footage of the incident started making the rounds on social media last weekend.
—Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
Mainstream Israeli media has increasingly spotlighted the dire starvation crisis in Gaza after months of Israel’s near-total aid blockade, horrifying some Israelis and triggering protests.
—Kristina Karisch, The Hill, 18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
The most horrifying fact Garcia shared was that a wound as tiny as a tick bite or a scratch can attract a female screwfly to lay her eggs.
—Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2026
Spending one night in such conditions is already a horrifying thought, but spending several years is an unthinkable ordeal.
—Pavlo Fedykovych, CNN Money, 12 June 2026
Emmet Truesdale enrolls in a clinical trial for a new weight loss product and, while the results are miraculous, the side effects are nothing short of horrifying.
—Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026
The last episode involved horrifying doll monsters and a very illuminating mushroom trip.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 29 May 2026
Having catalogued the Black Death’s horrifying effects, Ibn Khatima went on to outline a series of preventative measures and active treatments designed to combat this merciless scourge.
—Literary Hub, 27 May 2026
The objects and beings studied by your book’s Antimemetics Division range from horrifying and potentially world-destroying to just kind of weird.
—Sarah Lewin Frasier, Scientific American, 27 May 2026
His wish is granted to horrifying results that have won over critics, who gave it a 94 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 27 May 2026
But needy, possessive Nikki smothers Bear, and what plays out is a horrifying tale of obsessive love gone wrong — sour, curdled and violent.
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 23 May 2026
Verb
Following her rescue, horrifying details of what happened to Jaycee began to emerge.
—Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026
The complications are horrifying doctors.
—Sara Moniuszko, USA Today, 29 May 2026
In the years since Boogie Nights, Leo has made an unlikely hit out of The Man in the Iron Mask, then took the role of Patrick Bateman in American Psycho, showing off his range and turning that surreal and often horrifying movie into another $100 million feather in his cap.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2026
The visage, created by Universal Studio’s then-lead makeup artist Jack Pierce for the 1931 film, was horrifying enough that its influence endured for almost 100 years.
—Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2025
No special effects were required to trigger Curry's stark drift from amiability to horrifying emptiness.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Oct. 2025
Television cameras captured the ensuing violence, horrifying much of the nation.
—Time, 12 Sep. 2025
The grisly murder stayed a local story until horrifying CCTV footage of the incident started making the rounds on social media last weekend.
—Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
Mainstream Israeli media has increasingly spotlighted the dire starvation crisis in Gaza after months of Israel’s near-total aid blockade, horrifying some Israelis and triggering protests.
—Kristina Karisch, The Hill, 18 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for horrifying
Adjective
-
The series follows the residents of a remote island town called Widow’s Bay, just off the coast of New England, that just so happens to be cursed and haunted with all manner of terrifying things.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
-
The premise sees the town’s citizens coming around a campfire and spilling the beans on some of most terrifying deeds.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
The historic victory, the nation’s first ever in the World Cup, was overshadowed when the midfielder injured his leg in gruesome fashion following a clumsy challenge from Qatar’s Assim Madibo.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
19 June 2026
-
Men In Blazers Canada’s first-ever World Cup victory, a 6-0 demolition derby of Qatar, was overshadowed yesterday by a gruesome leg injury suffered by midfield maestro Ismaël Koné.—
Mark Hodge,
NBC news,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
Powell tried to open the stall door, and then began fondling himself, frightening the 11-year-old, who tried to leave, but Powell blocked him from getting out.—
Todd Feurer,
CBS News,
6 June 2026
-
This war has been a disaster for them, frightening away foreign investors, tourists and talent and burdening them with a future of huge new defense bills to deter Iran after the United States is gone.—
Thomas L. Friedman,
Mercury News,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
But the idea of transferring to a new school was scary.—
Susan Svrluga,
Washington Post,
15 June 2026
-
It's been scary, and it's been really hard to navigate.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
The six-month delay was vehemently opposed by most plaintiff attorneys, who say their clients have suffered horrific abuse and are in desperate need of cash.—
Rebecca Ellis,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
-
The Oscar-winning Capote had the dramatic advantage of a protagonist investigating a horrific mass murder.—
Stephen Farber,
HollywoodReporter,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
But she was saved by three bystanders who yelled out, scaring him off and chasing him through the park, sources said.—
Rocco Parascandola,
New York Daily News,
13 June 2026
-
Predator decoys that are in constant motion may be most effective at scaring birds.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
The companies try to slow down this process by submerging it in oil, but the resulting flavor is horrible.—
Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner,
Martha Stewart,
13 June 2026
-
Your cab driver is taking you on a horrible route.—
Zach Schiffman,
Curbed,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
Here are the five most shocking moments from Dutton Ranch season 1, episode 6.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
13 June 2026
-
While this may seem shocking, the most important variables found by Yartseva are informative.—
Bill Stone,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Horrifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horrifying. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
