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horrendous

adjective

hȯ-ˈren-dəs How to pronounce horrendous (audio)
Definition of horrendousnext
1
as in horrible
causing fear a horrendous explosion shook the building

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in awful
causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment a horrendous breach of good manners that should not escape censure

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in horrific
extremely disturbing or repellent emergency room personnel did not flinch even from the most horrendous injuries

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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 horrendous After years of horrendous scandals, OpenAI has seemingly admitted that ChatGPT wasn’t safe for teenage users. — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 19 Aug. 2026 There would be periods of spectacular growth followed by horrendous swoons that would wipe out all of the gains. — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 16 Aug. 2026 The worst teams in the National League concluded their final series against one another with an exhibition of truly horrendous baseball on Sunday afternoon at Oracle Park. — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 16 Aug. 2026 As horrendous as California’s wildfires may be, the conventional rules of imposing liability and spreading the cost just doesn’t work when utilities are state-regulated and state-protected. — Dan Walters, Oc Register, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for horrendous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for horrendous
  1. horrible
  2. awful
  3. horrific
  4. terrifying
  5. ugly
  6. gruesome
  7. terrible
  8. disgusting
Adjective
  • Much has been written about the power of artificial intelligence to improve life in myriad ways, but also about its truly horrible effects—now and going forward—if it isn’t managed properly.
    — Nadine Hack, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026
  • But the horrible scenes that unfolded before him were incomparable.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of horrible
Adjective
  • To Morrison, as well as to the filmmakers, this awful backstory makes something cathartic of his accomplishment.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
  • So the fact that there was this whole section of gay actors who weren’t allowed to do that is awful.
    — Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of awful
Adjective
  • Thompson, then 23, and Rocco James Surace, then 30, beat Ivester with chains, burned her with cigarettes and assaulted her with a chair leg during the horrific ordeal inside the Sunny Isles Motel, 16375 Biscayne Blvd.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Indications of this are when Covid starts to overwhelm the hospital and Maya is in the center of this horrific pandemic.
    — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 13 Sep. 2026
Definition of horrific
Adjective
  • He’s crafted a propulsive, simultaneously terrifying and hilarious thrill ride that showcases both his cinematic chops and perverse sense of humor.
    — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Compounding fears was a terrifying warning from a former AI executive last week that AI could end civilization within a decade and the tech companies aren’t doing enough about it.
    — S.E. Cupp, New York Daily News, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of terrifying
Adjective
  • Not many filmmakers can create something where moments as ugly as Billy’s scatological lectures coexist so elegantly with moments of honest longing and tragedy (and, in one or two moments, tentative hope).
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The hate being lobbed at Sheeran is also an unpleasant reminder of the extreme and ugly bullying tactics of the online left.
    — Sean Woods, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of ugly
Adjective
  • On a more altruistic front, Leighton also stands ready to end a gruesome pandemic in another world, turning up with vaccines and medications like a multidimensional DoorDash service.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Where does that leave the gruesome project that binds them together?
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of gruesome
Adjective
  • As a rookie, the Pats lost plenty, but that was with a terrible roster around him.
    — Chad Graff, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • The company reported another terrible quarter and cut its full-year outlook for the second time in three months.
    — Alyson Shontell, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of terrible
Adjective
  • The better to act out empire’s idea of what disgusting demonic sickness looks like.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
  • These guys are disgusting over the radio in the heat of battle.
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of disgusting

Browse Nearby Words

horny
horrendous
horrendously
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Cite this Entry

“Horrendous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horrendous. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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