horrific

adjective

hor·​rif·​ic hȯ-ˈri-fik 

hä-

: having the power to horrify

a horrific account of the tragedy

horrifically

hȯ-ˈri-fi-k(ə-)lē 

hä-

adverb

Synonyms of horrific

• gruesome
• shocking
• horrible
• terrible
• nightmare
• horrifying
• frightening

Examples of horrific in a Sentence

horrific images of the devastation spurred many people to give generously

Recent Examples on the Web

At first Burgomeister is aghast at such a horrific proposal and rebuffs her offer. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026

Thompson, then 23, and Rocco James Surace, then 30, beat Ivester with chains, burned her with cigarettes and assaulted her with a chair leg during the horrific ordeal inside the Sunny Isles Motel, 16375 Biscayne Blvd. — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 14 Sep. 2026

Indications of this are when Covid starts to overwhelm the hospital and Maya is in the center of this horrific pandemic. — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 13 Sep. 2026

Twenty-five years later, that moment remains a symbol of America’s fortitude following the horrific 9/11 terror attacks that killed 2,977 people at the World Trade Center, The Pentagon and in Somerset County, Penn. — Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 11 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French & Latin; French horrifique, going back to Middle French, borrowed from Latin horrificus "inspiring awe or dread, frightening," from horrēre "to be stiffly erect, bristle, shudder, shiver" + -i- -i- + -ficus -fic — more at horror entry 1

First Known Use

1653, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for horrific

• pacific
• prolific
• salvific
• specific
• terrific
• calorific
• conspecific
• hieroglyphic
• honorific
• nonspecific
• scientific
• soporific