horrify

verb

hor·​ri·​fy ˈhȯr-ə-ˌfī 

ˈhär-

horrified; horrifying

transitive verb

1

: to cause to feel horror

2

: to fill with distaste : shock

horrifyingly

ˈhȯr-ə-ˌfī-iŋ-lē 

ˈhär-

adverb

Synonyms of horrify

• frighten
• scare
• terrify
• startle

Choose the Right Synonym for horrify

dismay, appall, horrify, daunt mean to unnerve or deter by arousing fear, apprehension, or aversion.

dismay implies that one is disconcerted and at a loss as to how to deal with something.

dismayed at the size of the job

appall implies that one is faced with that which perturbs, confounds, or shocks.

I am appalled by your behavior

horrify stresses a reaction of horror or revulsion.

was horrified by such wanton cruelty

daunt suggests a cowing, disheartening, or frightening in a venture requiring courage.

a cliff that would daunt the most intrepid climber

Examples of horrify in a Sentence

The details of the crime horrified the nation.

They were horrified by the movie's violence.

Recent Examples on the Web

The incident Monday afternoon sparked horrified reactions on social media as eyewitnesses shared their experiences online. — Taylor Croft, AJC.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Henry’s horrified too, but my guy’s also confused because instead of really feeling for what her husband has been through, Julia is cold and distant. — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026

Despite Jack’s best efforts to bring Christmas cheer to the world, his gifts horrify the populace. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 Oct. 2026

On Christmas Day, Neon will weigh in with the best of the three, Luca Guadagnino’s Artificial, a humorous and ultimately horrifying account of 20 years of AI evolution and a scorching portrait of OpenAI founder Sam Altman. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

probably from horri(fic) + -fy

Note: Given the late appearance of the word, it is most likely not a borrowing from Latin horrificāre "to ruffle the surface of, frighten, terrify."

First Known Use

1791, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for horrify

• abscissae
• adonai
• alibi
• alkali
• alumni
• amoebae
• amplify
• annuli
• beautify
• brachii
• butterfly
• calculi

Kids Definition

horrify

verb

hor·​ri·​fy ˈhȯr-ə-ˌfī 

ˈhär-

horrified; horrifying

: to cause to feel horror