HORRIBLE Synonyms: 273 Similar and Opposite Words

horrible 1 of 2

adjective

ˈhȯr-ə-bəl

Definition of horrible

as in horrific

extremely disturbing or repellent a horrible car accident that left eyewitnesses in a state of shock

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in terrifying

causing fear a horrible scream that made shivers go up and down our spines

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in awful

causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment I can never forgive her for the horrible way she treated me

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in terrible

extremely unsatisfactory I'm never going back to that restaurant; the service was horrible

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

horrible

2 of 2

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 horrible

Adjective

Smoke from out-of-control wildfires created horrible air pollution in Toronto, which on July 15, had the worst pollution in the world. — Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 24 July 2026 Why do some people stay in terrible, horrible, no good, very bad jobs? — Joseph Kim, NPR, 22 July 2026 The family wants to have accountability for this horrible crime. — Eric Shawn, FOXNews.com, 18 July 2026 But the incredible expense of maintaining these habitats — and a series of horrible accidents resulting in a few deaths — led to a pullback in federal funding for the undersea habitat industry. — Alex Harris july 15, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for horrible

Recent Examples of Synonyms for horrible

Adjective

Her family members could be seen getting emotional as the detective described the horrific scene.

— Alex Stone, ABC News, 21 July 2026
The end of this horrific tableau draws a distinct difference between Loustat and Loumand.

— Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

Definition of horrific

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

The optics of continuing to play a seven-day tournament for roughly $4 million in prize money at the same event where men were playing across 12 days for up to $12 million would have been awful.

— Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 25 July 2026
From Jeffrey’s team, Chloe’s remade dress, with an off-the-shoulder top and an awful mesh corset patch tied with a blue ribbon, is universally hated by the judges.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 July 2026

Definition of awful

Noun

Mayra Velasquez was charged with capital murder by terror threat on Friday, July 17, according to prison records seen by PEOPLE.

— Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 21 July 2026
In line with the episode’s gothic theme, the women’s smiles, while somewhat genuine, carry a hint of terror.

— Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 20 July 2026

Definition of terror

Adjective

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
The previous day, multiple gruesome photos of the crime scene were exhibited on screen.

— Nicole Acosta, PEOPLE, 28 July 2026

Definition of gruesome

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

Cite this Entry

Style

“Horrible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horrible. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of horrible

adjective

noun

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