1
as in terrifying
causing fear
hair-raising stories of headless corpses and disembodied screams
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in breathtaking
causing great emotional or mental stimulation
a theme park that is legendary for its lightning-fast roller-coaster and other hair-raising rides
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of hair-raising
His own pharmaceutical quest is nothing short of hair-raising.
—
Jerome Groopman, New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2025
Then into motorboats for hair-raising dashes through tortuous canals and across rough water to dams far back in some vast marsh.
—Nash Buckingham, Outdoor Life, 19 June 2025
The term hair-raising takes on new meaning as two performers contort their bodies high above the stage, connected only by their coiffures.
—Karen D'souza, Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2025
Led by vocalist Christina Michelle’s hair-raising screams, Deep Sage mangles everything in its path with thick basslines and switchblade guitars until the floor is bloodied but the air, at long last, is cleansed.
—Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 4 Dec. 2024
Oh, there are plenty of opportunity for that: Feliz says the season only gets more hair-raising from here.
—Lynette Rice, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2024
The reason this seems hair-raising is that most generative AI is devised to wait for the human to initiate a conversation.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024
Among them were experienced mountaineers accustomed to steep terrain where any fall could be fatal, and casual hikers who had never before attempted to climb anything as hair-raising.
—Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2024
The players’ recounted exploits are at once hair-raising, nostalgic and moving.
—Drew Goins, Washington Post, 31 July 2024
Jerome Groopman, New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2025
Then into motorboats for hair-raising dashes through tortuous canals and across rough water to dams far back in some vast marsh.
—Nash Buckingham, Outdoor Life, 19 June 2025
The term hair-raising takes on new meaning as two performers contort their bodies high above the stage, connected only by their coiffures.
—Karen D'souza, Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2025
Led by vocalist Christina Michelle’s hair-raising screams, Deep Sage mangles everything in its path with thick basslines and switchblade guitars until the floor is bloodied but the air, at long last, is cleansed.
—Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 4 Dec. 2024
Oh, there are plenty of opportunity for that: Feliz says the season only gets more hair-raising from here.
—Lynette Rice, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2024
The reason this seems hair-raising is that most generative AI is devised to wait for the human to initiate a conversation.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024
Among them were experienced mountaineers accustomed to steep terrain where any fall could be fatal, and casual hikers who had never before attempted to climb anything as hair-raising.
—Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2024
The players’ recounted exploits are at once hair-raising, nostalgic and moving.
—Drew Goins, Washington Post, 31 July 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hair-raising
Adjective
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There was also the terrifying clip, captured in August 2021, showcasing when a bull moose charged at a bystander.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
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The drop was vertiginous and terrifying, but Young sidled right up to the edge.—
Eren Orbey,
New Yorker,
13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The rock formations of the Burren in County Clare create a barren but breathtaking landscape that stretches out to the sea.—
Bernadette Keith,
Travel + Leisure,
19 Oct. 2025
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Black Swan excels by offering breathtaking dance choreography, and the film's gorgeous cinematography provides viewers with a tapestry of imagery unparalleled by most psychological horror films.—
Steven Thrash,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Add them to movie-night snacks, candy bowls, or trick-or-treat bags for a fun, not-too-frightening addition to your Halloween spread.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Oct. 2025
-
The sight of armed soldiers outfitted for war on city streets strikes many Americans as a frightening escalation from a President seemingly bent on punishing those who oppose him.—
Jeannie Suk Gersen,
New Yorker,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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What’s exciting is that comedic talent can now receive guidance from Mark and be paired with Todd to go out to the market with a project that’s already vetted and packaged.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
16 Oct. 2025
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From some exciting new restaurants to great concerts and shows, there is a lot of cool stuff to experience this weekend.—
Randy McMullen,
Mercury News,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Starters Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and Ohtani make up one of the most formidable playoff rotations in recent memory and their lineup with Ohtani at the top followed by stars like Mookie Betts, Freeman, Teoscar Hernandez and a slew of others.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
18 Oct. 2025
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Edouard Langlois, a formidable dark-bearded gentleman, was the artistic director of the local Edwin Booth Theatre.—
Robert Eggers,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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This luminous documentary by Tasha Van Zandt offers a rare glimpse into the ocean’s glowing ecosystems while taking audiences on a thrilling deep-sea exploration.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
15 Oct. 2025
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The journey has been enlightening and exhilarating—but the most thrilling part is still to come.—
Chloe Berge,
AFAR Media,
15 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Those wanting to level up the scary can opt for the RIP Experience, which is an intense, immersive and more interactive experience.—
Haadiza Ogwude,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
15 Oct. 2025
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Jeanroy squats down, nudges Taïga aside, and starts digging with a cavadou—a sort of pick that resembles a very scary dental tool.—
Aislyn Greene,
AFAR Media,
15 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Tessa Thompson has nothing but love and some, uh, interesting descriptors for her Thor costar Chris Hemsworth.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
14 Oct. 2025
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While watching parrot fish glide by the glass of the 250,000-gallon saltwater reef tank the Seaquarium has maintained for years, Martin said his team plans to build the kind of aquarium complex that will be interesting enough to justify visitors buying tickets just to see it.—
Pedro Portal,
Miami Herald,
14 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hair-raising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hair-raising. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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