worst nightmare

noun

: the thing someone fears most
Losing a child is every parent's worst nightmare.

Examples of worst nightmare in a Sentence

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An encounter with a skunk is every pet owner's worst nightmare. Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 23 May 2026 My worst nightmare was like a Jonathan and Rizo situation. Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 21 May 2026 And so begins every parent’s worst nightmare. Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 20 May 2026 Not even a month later, my worst nightmare materialized with the recent shooting. Ibrahim Al-Marashi, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for worst nightmare

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“Worst nightmare.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/worst%20nightmare. Accessed 1 Jun. 2026.

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