HAIR-RAISING Synonyms: 120 Similar and Opposite Words

hair-raising

adjective

ˈher-ˌrā-ziŋ

Definition of hair-raising

as in terrifying

causing fear hair-raising stories of headless corpses and disembodied screams

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 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 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 See All Example Sentences for hair-raising

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hair-raising

Adjective

Set thousands of years in the future, the Blight has wiped out most of civilization, and while the name sounds gruesome and terrifying, the Blight itself is verdant and filled with flowers.

— Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
The trailer shows Depp as Scrooge tormented by the terrifying spirits of Christmas, haunting him throughout the Christmas season.

— Tanya Fedak, Variety, 23 July 2026

Definition of terrifying

Adjective

Set within the breathtaking Ka`a`awa Valley, the locations of many Hollywood flicks & TV series, and World War II bunkers were filmed at Kualoa Ranch & Private Nature Reserve on the island of Oahu.

— Noreen Kompanik, Boston Herald, 26 July 2026
Drawing me back year after year is the Okefenokee’s breathtaking splendor, magnificent array of plants and animals and its mind-soothing peacefulness and serenity.

— Charles Seabrook, AJC.com, 25 July 2026

Definition of breathtaking

Adjective

His solution was to ride at a frightening pace from the outset of stages, hoping to shed his rival from his back wheel — an approach that rewarded him with king of the mountains points throughout the Tour’s final week.

— Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 26 July 2026
The most frightening scenario to many officials on both sides of the border is that the United States might use Rocha’s case as a pretext to strike Mexico.

— Kevin Sieff, The Atlantic, 24 July 2026

Definition of frightening

Adjective

This project might strike you as dystopian and disturbing, or exciting and encouraging – and its ethical soundness comes down to a few key factors, several experts told CNN.

— Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
Francisco Lindor is one of the most exciting and appealing players in the history of the New York Mets.

— Mike Lupica, New York Daily News, 25 July 2026

Definition of exciting

Adjective

That was the call in the 106th minute of a thrilling World Cup Final match that saw Spain best Argentina, 1-0.

— Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 20 July 2026
In addition to the three WNBA games, the World Cup semifinals brought a thrilling finish, with Lionel Messi creating two last-ditch scoring opportunities, cashed in by teammates as Argentina stunned England.

— Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 19 July 2026

Definition of thrilling

Adjective

The Bang Bang Gang shifted momentum, but sent Clark Connors crashing onto the steel steps in a legitimately scary spot.

— Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Video footage obtained by PEOPLE shows the scary moment the slingshot-style ride malfunctioned as one of the wires that attaches to the car appears to abruptly snap off.

— Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 27 July 2026

Definition of scary

Adjective

Anthropic and Amazon are absent from every version, and that pairing is the most interesting thing missing from the list.

— Sandy Carter, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
Perhaps the Codex Micro’s most interesting feature is a rotary dial that lets the user adjust the agent’s reasoning level depending on the difficulty of the task.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 25 July 2026

Definition of interesting

Browse Nearby Words

hair-raisers

hair-raising

hairs

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“Hair-raising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hair-raising. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of hair-raising

adjective

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