macabre

ma·ca·bre

adj
\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

[+]more[-]hide

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