horror story
noun
: an account of an unsettling or unfortunate occurrence
heard horror stories about recent layoffs
also
: something unsettling or unfortunate
his childhood was a horror story
Examples of horror story in a Sentence
We've all heard horror stories about airlines losing people's luggage.
Her childhood was a horror story.
Recent Examples on the Web
Foreign fans, like other tourists, have heard horror stories about ICE and are electing to stay home.
—
Chris Jones, The Atlantic, 7 June 2026
The horror film, spawned from a YouTube series which was spawned from a copypasta forum horror story, is now the talk of Hollywood alongside Obsession, the two changing the perception of what can be a massive hit in the industry.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
ProPublica’s reporting chronicled the rise of the procedures after the introduction of the government’s financial incentive, along with horror stories of patients who lost their legs or died from complications.
—Annie Waldman, ProPublica, 29 May 2026
The tainting of that optimism is its own kind of American horror story.
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for horror story
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Chris Jones, The Atlantic, 7 June 2026
The horror film, spawned from a YouTube series which was spawned from a copypasta forum horror story, is now the talk of Hollywood alongside Obsession, the two changing the perception of what can be a massive hit in the industry.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
ProPublica’s reporting chronicled the rise of the procedures after the introduction of the government’s financial incentive, along with horror stories of patients who lost their legs or died from complications.
—Annie Waldman, ProPublica, 29 May 2026
The tainting of that optimism is its own kind of American horror story.
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for horror story
Cite this Entry
“Horror story.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/horror%20story. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
