GRUESOME Synonyms: 80 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'gruesome' different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of gruesome are ghastly , grisly , lurid , and macabre . While all these words mean "horrifying and repellent in appearance or aspect," grisly and gruesome suggest additionally the results of extreme violence or cruelty. // an unusually grisly murder // suffered a gruesome death

Q: Where would 'ghastly' be a reasonable alternative to 'gruesome'?

The words ghastly and gruesome can be used in similar contexts, but ghastly suggests the terrifying aspects of corpses and ghosts. // a ghastly accident

Q: How do 'lurid' and 'gruesome' relate to one another?

Lurid adds to gruesome the suggestion of shuddering fascination with violent death and especially with murder. // the lurid details of a crime

Q: When can 'macabre' be used instead of 'gruesome'?

While the synonyms macabre and gruesome are close in meaning, macabre implies a morbid preoccupation with the physical aspects of death. // a macabre tale of premature burial

gruesome

adjective

ˈgrü-səm

variants also grewsome

Definition of gruesome

as in horrific

extremely disturbing or repellent didn't stick around to hear the gruesome details of the car accident

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word gruesome different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of gruesome are ghastly, grisly, lurid, and macabre. While all these words mean "horrifying and repellent in appearance or aspect," grisly and gruesome suggest additionally the results of extreme violence or cruelty.

an unusually grisly murder

suffered a gruesome death

Where would ghastly be a reasonable alternative to gruesome?

The words ghastly and gruesome can be used in similar contexts, but ghastly suggests the terrifying aspects of corpses and ghosts.

a ghastly accident

How do lurid and gruesome relate to one another?

Lurid adds to gruesome the suggestion of shuddering fascination with violent death and especially with murder.

the lurid details of a crime

When can macabre be used instead of gruesome?

While the synonyms macabre and gruesome are close in meaning, macabre implies a morbid preoccupation with the physical aspects of death.

a macabre tale of premature burial

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of gruesome The massacre left the community reeling from the losses and the gruesome nature of the victims’ deaths. — Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 5 Aug. 2026 Tracing the arc of American history, the Urban League describes Black Americans’ struggle for emancipation from slavery and equal economic and political rights as a gruesome but optimistic part of the American story. — Matt Brown, Fortune, 30 July 2026 During the five-day preliminary hearing, prosecutors displayed gruesome crime scene images of Hernandez’s remains and produced hundreds of text messages between Burke and Hernandez that provided an in-depth look at their relationship. — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026 Prosecutors laid out evidence for the case during the hearing since last week, showing gruesome photos of Hernandez’s body, as well as text messages between her and D4vd, whose real name is David Burke. — Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 27 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for gruesome

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gruesome

Adjective

Gen gets to bust out her flapper dress only to witness the most horrific, awful, potentially career-destroying failure … the caviar, oysters, and bread are all crowded onto the bread plate.

— Emma Soren, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026
In her very first on-screen role, Reeves brings a nuanced, brave, and deeply intuitive performance as the titular character, an eight-year-old San Francisco resident who witnesses a horrific crime and has to deal with the emotional fallout.

— Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of horrific

Adjective

The shocking lack of answers does not appear to be for a lack of resources, rather it highlights perceived investigative missteps along the way.

— Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 8 Aug. 2026
The shocking report was nevertheless cheered by investors, who took the weakness in the labor market as a sign that the Federal Reserve won’t hike rates in September.

— Sarah Min, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of shocking

Adjective

This is the nightmare scenario behind the Kessler syndrome, a cascading chain of collisions that could render entire orbital pathways unusable.

— Alan Bradley, Space.com, 2 Aug. 2026
But the 22-year-old is not alone in having a nightmare individual performance on a high-profile sporting stage.

— Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026

Definition of nightmare

Adjective

No franchise on this list is more indebted to a single auteur (Wes Craven) and a single actor (Robert Englund), who turned the saga of Freddy Krueger into something uniquely horrifying.

— Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 8 Aug. 2026
The byproduct of eating the dessert is a little more horrifying than your typical childhood sugar rush.

— Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of horrifying

Adjective

That Crowley came from behind to win was a testament to Evers’ grit and determination to keep the nomination from Hong, whom Evers said was unlikely to win in November, and to how terrible of a campaigner Hong turned out to be in the home stretch.

— The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2026
Although the Constitution requires congressional involvement in war-making, Trump like Nixon disdained that mandate with terrible consequences.

— Elizabeth Holtzman, New York Daily News, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of terrible

Adjective

And what is perhaps most frightening, in those despondent moments that inevitably follow the exhilarating rush, is the realization that this enveloping abyss retains the imprint of our actions.

— Jan Tumlir, Artforum, 5 Aug. 2026
The video quickly sparked a wave of reactions on social media, with many viewers expressing relief that the ride's safety restraints appeared to do their job despite the frightening ordeal.

— Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of frightening

Adjective

Spiridakos is terrific as the no-nonsense ranger who refuses to let herself be crushed by her past or present.

— Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026
For 12 terrific seasons now, the New England Revolution has celebrated their partnership with Special Olympics Massachusetts and the incredible impact of the Rev's Unified Team.

— Juli McDonald, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of terrific

Browse Nearby Words

grueling

gruesome

gruesomeness

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Gruesome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gruesome. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of gruesome

adjective

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on gruesome

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

circumscribe

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes