1
as in terrifying
causing fear
hair-raising stories of headless corpses and disembodied screams
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 hair-raising
Still that does not mean the exercise won’t be hair-raising for the crew of Artemis II.
—
Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 29 Jan. 2026
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
The drive had been hair-raising (though nothing compared to a later jaunt on Hiva Oa, where Gauguin is buried, during which our guide Heimata played a ukulele while skirting the edge of a cliff and steering with his knee).
—Peter Heller, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Jan. 2024
Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 29 Jan. 2026
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
The drive had been hair-raising (though nothing compared to a later jaunt on Hiva Oa, where Gauguin is buried, during which our guide Heimata played a ukulele while skirting the edge of a cliff and steering with his knee).
—Peter Heller, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Jan. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hair-raising
Adjective
-
The terrifying cadence of airstrikes shapes daily life in Tehran.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
But beneath the ice, something terrifying has awakened.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The resulting works were breathtaking, immersing the viewer in luminous veils of paint that swept across the canvas, seeming to splash back up from the bottom, creating an enveloping sense of tranquility and awe that pushed against the jittery energy of Abstract Expressionism.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Finally, the GoPro Hero13 Black is 16% off, providing breathtaking resolution for your next adventure.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The idea of frightening children into basic courtesy scares Miss Manners.—
Judith Martin,
Sun Sentinel,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Facing the future may mean confronting difficult questions and frightening scenarios.—
Kat McGowan,
NPR,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
As small business owners and Broward natives, Binder and Terrell said Thrive’s rapid growth has been exciting to see.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Despite all the change the property has been through—or maybe because of it—the motel feels uniquely fresh and exciting.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Yahoo will be competing against a familiar foil in Google, which remains the same formidable force that spelled the company's demise 20 years ago and has been progressively layering more AI into its search engine with its Gemini technology.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Then finding the players who can execute them has made UConn the sport’s most formidable force.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
There is nothing more thrilling than seeing a spacecraft launch — especially on a journey to the moon.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The 75th running of the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park on Saturday was a razor’s-edge outcome, a thrilling battle involving several of the top Kentucky Derby hopefuls in the country.—
Clark Spencer,
Miami Herald,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Wallner and second baseman Luke Keaschall had a scary collision in the eighth inning on a pop fly to right by Salvador Perez that Keaschall caught.—
David Brown,
Twin Cities,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Especially one that features Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Martin Necas, Nazem Kadri, Brock Nelson, Val Nichushkin and Nicolas Roy, all at the same time, a legitimately scary roster that goes four lines and two goaltenders deep.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The towable home also boasts some interesting energy saving additions, including a passive heating system.—
Adam Williams
March 29,
New Atlas,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Another interesting area of study could be cavitation from boat or submarine propellers, pumps, and some sonar systems.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hair-raising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hair-raising. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
