horrifying 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of horrifyingnext
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in gruesome
extremely disturbing or repellent the horrifying sight of a rat running through the restaurant's kitchen

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

horrifying

2 of 2

verb

present participle of horrify
as in frightening
to strike with fear the old black-and-white psychological thriller still horrifies audiences

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for horrifying
  1. terrifying
  2. gruesome
  3. frightening
  4. horrific
  5. scary
  6. shocking
  7. horrible
  8. formidable
Adjective
  • The paranormal phenomena spooking Spongebob and Squidward has a mundane explanation, but the entity flickering the lights turns out to be none other than Nosferatu, who reassures them with a terrifying smile; amusingly, Spongebob and Squidward are relieved to see him.
    Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
  • In the early hours of New Year's Day 2021 in Canton, Georgia, Morgan Metzer was awakened to a terrifying sight.
    Michael Loftus, CBS News, 13 Dec. 2024
Definition of terrifying
Adjective
  • Prehistoric Rock Art Sites Created 'Multisensory Experience' For Hunter-Gatherers By Aristos Georgiou Science and Health Reporter 0 A collection of prehistoric human remains has revealed gruesome insights into a brutal massacre that took place more than 4,000 years ago.
    Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024
  • Police think the gruesome gunshot death is suicide.
    Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024
Definition of gruesome
Adjective
  • That Daniel Penny acted to defend others from a frightening figure on the train was of no legal relevance, from the prosecution’s point of view, given that Neely did not have a weapon or threaten a specific passenger directly.
    Adam Iscoe, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
  • However, Humbert decided to go it alone and ended up being the victim of quite a frightening shark attack.
    Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2024
Definition of frightening
Adjective
  • Eric Gordon was also supposed to provide some secondary ball-handling off the bench in theory, but the soon-to-be 36-year-old is off to a horrific start this season.
    Bryan Toporek, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
  • Former detainees at the horrific Saydnaya prison near Damascus said Amer had disappeared in mid-April 2015 after being tortured there.
    Raja Razek, CNN, 16 Dec. 2024
Definition of horrific
Adjective
  • History says such a two-year performance in itself is neither a scary portent nor a ticket to further riches.
    Michael Santoli, CNBC, 14 Dec. 2024
  • With scary precision, the playwright captures the delusion that roots itself in families who use faith to control.
    Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Dec. 2024
Definition of scary
Adjective
  • This outcome was always a possibility for the Red Sox, but what is truly shocking is the lack of urgency and effort from the Boston front office.
    Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
  • Amid his season of highs, Scheffler was also at the center of the most shocking day in golf major championship history when he was arrested and booked in a Louisville, Ky. jail over a traffic miscommunication at the PGA Championship.
    Jenna West, The Athletic, 11 Dec. 2024
Definition of shocking
Adjective
  • Although there is high demand among students for internships and other work opportunities, our education-employer ecosystem is doing a horrible job delivering them.
    Brandon Busteed, Forbes, 14 Dec. 2024
  • Even as the country seeks to emerge from the legacy of those seven horrible years, however, a new government elected in 2023 has become the first since the fall of the dictatorship to justify the regime’s extrajudicial killings and violent repression.
    Joshua Hammer, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Dec. 2024
Definition of horrible
Adjective
  • The Chiefs also have rookie Xavier Worthy, but the team needs another receiver on par with Hopkins to ensure the offense stays formidable.
    Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
  • The designer leaned into his formidable cutting skills and theatrical bent, designing with high-tech fabrications that interact with smartphones, with foam-like materials, and experimenting in garment reconfiguration.
    Miles Socha, WWD, 11 Dec. 2024
Definition of formidable
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near horrifying

horrify

horrifying

horror

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Cite this Entry

“Horrifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horrifying. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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More from Merriam-Webster on horrifying

Nglish: Translation of horrifying for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of horrifying for Arabic Speakers

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