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

Back then, said Diego Lirman, an associate professor at the Rosenstiel school, there were horror stories from the Keys of entire coral nurseries killed in the hot water. — Alex Harris july 23, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026

Having your biggest look also be your most penitent is a bold move, but it’s girded by Rome having put in years of work and collected plenty of horror stories to reflect on. — Dylan Green, Pitchfork, 17 July 2026

Some fans shared horror stories of their brownie batter overflowing in the oven. — Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 July 2026

But buying tickets on the secondary market sites that are not part of FIFA’s resale system is now loaded with horror stories of people paying for fraudulent seats. — Mac Engel july 3, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1937, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for horror story

• allegory
• amatory
• auditory
• category
• clerestory
• crematory
• desultory
• dilatory
• dormitory
• excretory
• feudatory
• gustatory