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

Flojaune Cofer, who lost a close race in 2024 for Sacramento mayor and has been mulling a run for the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors, said she was horrified by the news out of Venezuela. —Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 3 Jan. 2026

Some viewers were horrified while others were intrigued. —Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 2 Jan. 2026

Clooney is horrified by how David Ellison, Skydance’s founder and Paramount’s chairman, has moved to reshape its coverage by installing conservative commentator Bari Weiss as editor-in-chief of CBS News. —Brent Lang, Variety, 30 Dec. 2025

Zane's parents say they were not only horrified but felt compelled to go public and file a lawsuit after discovering his last conversation with ChatGPT, in September, in the wake of his suicide. —Brian Brant, PEOPLE, 29 Dec. 2025

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
• alibi
• alkali
• alumni
• amoebae
• amplify
• annuli
• beautify
• brachii
• butterfly
• calculi
• certify

Kids Definition

horrify

verb

hor·​ri·​fy ˈhȯr-ə-ˌfī 

ˈhär-

horrified; horrifying

: to cause to feel horror