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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in terrible

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

In all, the Dodgers drowned out that horrible tomahawk chop with some mighty hacks of their own, winning 3-1 while finally displaying some of the desperation that had been missing. — Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026 Working hard to be horrible and beautiful at once, Vahl’s debut is a stark, memorable vision of right-wing terror ultimately eating its own tail. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026 Hill is a free agent after a horrible injury suffered last season. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 5 Oct. 2026 Ashley Flynn’s sister, Kayla Keyt, said during her victim statement that her family could not overcome their sense of shock and despair after learning that Flynn betrayed them in such a violent and horrible way. — Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 5 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for horrible

Recent Examples of Synonyms for horrible

Adjective

What followed was a horrific night of physical and mental spousal abuse, which Adams describes in searing, emotional prose.

— Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026
Recently, Wahid was the lead defense attorney in the death penalty case of a Miami man who pleaded guilty to the horrific triple homicide of his estranged wife and her two young daughters.

— Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of horrific

Adjective

What started as a routine bike ride home turned into a terrifying fight for survival for Katherine Marroquin on Sunday night.

— Naveen Dhaliwal, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
In Carroll Gardens, says Cavallo, a house on Henry Street, between Carroll and President, is so terrifying some kids have to cross the street.

— Fiorella Valdesolo, Curbed, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of terrifying

Adjective

Jake Bauers has been awful for most of his career, but graduated in 2018 as a top-50 prospect.

— Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
Trailing 12-0 after its awful start, BC scored the next 14 points, jumping in front on McKenzie’s 11-yard score to Javarius Green.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of awful

Adjective

The second storyline takes place in 2026 and concerns the murder of none other than Hal Jordan, who returned to Rushville as a social pariah after the terrible events that transpired 10 years before.

— Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026
The Eagles are struggling, the Cowboys look terrible, and the Giants don’t have a quarterback.

— OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of terrible

Noun

Phobos and Deimos take their names from the Greek mythological personifications of fear and terror, sons of the war god Ares, whose Roman counterpart is Mars.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Founded in 2015 by Thomas Brag, Matt Dajer, Ammar Kandil and Derin Emre, the group gained traction through their videos about travel, adventure and, in the wake of terror attacks in Beirut and Paris, inclusivity.

— Diana Lodderhose, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of terror

Adjective

There is nothing more frightening than when the familiar starts acting strange, in movies or in life.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
And with Halloween nearly upon us, the question of what frightening, shocking, silly, classic, or demonically camp movies to press play on again (and again) has never been more pertinent.

— Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of frightening

Adjective

Comparing the administration's fight to protect women and women's spaces from males to rape, is utterly disgusting and actually devalues those atrocities and crimes against actual women.

— Jon Root OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
The squad has not been beefed up at all after a shameful and disgusting transfer window.

— Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026