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

Further turmoil followed when a horrific video from 2023, of an aggressive incident between the couple where a child is present, dropped on TMZ. —Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 23 Mar. 2026

To the stories and history of his grandparents in the El Salvador of the 1980s when a horrific civil war raged. —Sara Sidner, CNN Money, 21 Mar. 2026

The now-notorious Gosselin family of Jon & Kate Plus 8 was secular to the point of the titular couple divorcing, and multiple Gosselin children have since leveled horrific allegations of abuse against their mother. —Tiana Lowe Doescher, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026

Further, Rikers Island prison complex is a horrific place. —Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 20 Mar. 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