macabre

ma·ca·bre

adjective \mə-ˈkäb; -ˈkä-brə, -bər; -ˈkäbr^ə\

Definition of MACABRE

1

: having death as a subject : comprising or including a personalized representation of death

2

: dwelling on the gruesome

3

: tending to produce horror in a beholder

Examples of MACABRE

1. a macabre story of murder and madness
2. Police discovered a macabre scene inside the house.

Origin of MACABRE

French, from (danse) macabre dance of death, from Middle French (danse de) Macabré

First Known Use: 1889

Related to MACABRE

Synonyms

appalling, atrocious, awful, dreadful, frightful, ghastly, grisly, gruesome (also grewsome), hideous, horrendous, horrid, horrific, horrifying, lurid, horrible, monstrous, nightmare, nightmarish, shocking, terrible, terrific

Related Words

alarming, bloodcurdling, dire, direful, fearful, fearsome, forbidding, formidable, frightening, gut-wrenching, hair-raising, heart-stopping, intimidating, redoubtable, scary, terrifying; abhorrent, deplorable, disagreeable, disgusting, distasteful, loathsome, nauseating, noisome, obnoxious, obscene, offensive, repugnant, repulsive, revolting, sickening; abominable, evil, foul, heinous, noxious, odious, unspeakable, vile; grotesque, ugly, unsightly

Near Antonyms

agreeable, appealing, attractive, delectable, delicious, delightful, enjoyable, enticing, inviting, pleasant, pleasing, pleasurable, satisfying, welcome; cheering, comforting, soothing

See Synonym Discussion at ghastly

Rhymes with MACABRE

bedaub, corncob, day job, demob, doorknob, heartthrob, hobnob, McJob, memsahib, nabob, nawab, plumb bob, Punjab, snow job, stop knob, Welsh cob