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Synonyms
ghastly, grisly, gruesome, macabre, lurid mean horrifying and repellent in appearance or aspect.
ghastly suggests the terrifying aspects of corpses and ghosts.
macabre implies a morbid preoccupation with the physical aspects of death.
lurid adds to gruesome the suggestion of shuddering fascination with violent death and especially with murder.
Examples of gruesome in a Sentence
Word History
alteration of earlier growsome, from English dialect grow, grue to shiver, from Middle English gruen, probably from Middle Dutch grūwen; akin to Old High German ingrūēn to shiver
circa 1700, in the meaning defined above
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Cite this Entry
“Gruesome.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gruesome. Accessed 9 Dec. 2024.
More from Merriam-Webster on gruesome
Nglish: Translation of gruesome for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of gruesome for Arabic Speakers
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