as in gruesome
extremely disturbing or repellent
horrific images of the devastation spurred many people to give generously
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Recent Examples of horrific
All were committed in the aftermath of the horrific kidnappings by Hamas and Israel’s brutal response.
—
Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2025
Case in point: in a horrific crash at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix, Romain Grosjean’s car was split in half and engulfed in flames.
—Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 26 June 2025
The horrific experiences that haunt them often push them away from those who love them most.
—Gregg Laskoski, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 June 2025
Mariska Hargitay was three when in 1967 Jayne, just 34, was killed along with two others in a horrific car crash.
—Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for horrific
Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2025
Case in point: in a horrific crash at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix, Romain Grosjean’s car was split in half and engulfed in flames.
—Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 26 June 2025
The horrific experiences that haunt them often push them away from those who love them most.
—Gregg Laskoski, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 June 2025
Mariska Hargitay was three when in 1967 Jayne, just 34, was killed along with two others in a horrific car crash.
—Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for horrific
Recent Examples of Synonyms for horrific
Adjective
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Accounts of government and police repression have only gotten more gruesome, with Amnesty Kenya reporting that 16 people have been shot and killed as of June 28 and local officials claiming that hundreds have been injured (while also alleging that most of those hurt were police officers).—
Mankaprr Conteh,
Rolling Stone,
30 June 2025
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Forget turning on some gruesome horror movie: reading the daily headlines is enough to make just about anyone scream.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
26 June 2025
Adjective
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In addition to all the shocking Prime Day finds on sale now, J.Crew Factory is stepping up and dropping prices.—
Alyssa Grabinski,
People.com,
9 July 2025
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All those TikToks sharing the most important news of the week, or the Instagram influencers reacting to a shocking headline, or the YouTubers making video essays analyzing current events — all of these could not exist without the labor and specialized knowledge of journalists.—
Reia Li,
AZCentral.com,
9 July 2025
Adjective
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Maybe the news reports and images trigger your feelings around a horrible experience at a camp, a personal loss of a child, or even just a loss of feeling safe and in control of the world, said Hurlbert.—
Madeline Holcombe,
CNN Money,
11 July 2025
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For many who were directly affected by the flood, these post-flood days have been like waking up from a horrible nightmare.—
Bea L. Hines,
Miami Herald,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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And because of that, it’s shielded us from the terrible things that happen downstream in the supply chain.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
8 July 2025
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Vegas bounced back from a terrible loss to the Fever with an 86-68 win over the Sun on Sunday.—
Kilty Cleary,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 July 2025
Adjective
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Moreover, if their environment is unpredictable, frightening, or volatile, some children learn that any disagreement could lead to danger and try to bury their feelings to avoid conflict and maintain a sense of peace.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Parents,
7 July 2025
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The great outdoors can be a big and frightening place, especially for cats who have only seen it from the safety of the great indoors.—
Joan Morris,
Mercury News,
7 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Horrific.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horrific. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
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