horrific

adjective

hȯ-ˈri-fik How to pronounce horrific (audio)
Definition of horrificnext
as in gruesome
extremely disturbing or repellent horrific images of the devastation spurred many people to give generously

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 horrific This bill would omit many of the standard responsibilities for financial institutions that were put in place to protect national security after the horrific attacks of 9/11. — Richard Nephew, Fortune, 2 July 2026 Lasko suffered the injury during a horrific collision in a game earlier this week. — Zach Dean Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026 The discovery of the children is reminiscent of past horrific cases of family abuse. — ABC News, 1 July 2026 The film has a very avant-garde style, with images melting into one another to to give the horrific tale a hazy, dreamlike logic. — Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for horrific
Recent Examples of Synonyms for horrific
  1. gruesome
  2. shocking
  3. horrible
  4. terrible
  5. nightmare
  6. horrifying
  7. frightening
Adjective
  • The rest of the trailer is filled with the kind of Eighties-style excess — with a gruesome tinge — that showcases what a good match Ellis and Murphy are for each other.
    — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 14 July 2026
  • Their early live shows were marked by ominous guitar riffs, blast beats, and gruesome antics onstage, feeding into the early signs of a new heavy metal subgenre that would become death metal.
    — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 14 July 2026
Definition of gruesome
Adjective
  • Yet somehow, two decades later, the viciously antisemitic Vichy regime planted itself in power; a shocking betrayal by France of some of its most loyal and generous supporters, in a dehumanizing toxic swamp of suspicion, judgment, envy.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 July 2026
  • As shocking as the scandal surrounding Terrion Arnold is, the 2024 first-round pick had not played that well, and the Lions could be better without him.
    — Vic Tafur, New York Times, 17 July 2026
Definition of shocking
Adjective
  • The toll was horrible, with some families suffering multiple deaths and injuries.
    — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026
  • Plus, Palmer is a horrible person — in this case, the victim is much more despicable than the thieves.
    — Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 8 July 2026
Definition of horrible
Adjective
  • To sit still now would send a terrible message to a clubhouse full of pros, all of whom know the score.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 July 2026
  • Spieth decided the ball sitting on a steep slope and potentially on a terrible lie wasn’t playable.
    — Brody Miller, New York Times, 14 July 2026
Definition of terrible
Adjective
  • But the 22-year-old is not alone in having a nightmare individual performance on a high-profile sporting stage.
    — Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026
  • This is the nightmare scenario for California Democrats.
    — Tom Charron, Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2026
Definition of nightmare
Adjective
  • My prescribed low-carb, caffeine-free diet sounded horrifying on paper, but my sinful pleasures were replaced with a tasty, high-quality, and healthy alternative that left me more energized.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026
  • But many did not, as the 1981 episodes tell the grim tale of a young girl named Sylvia (Barash), who is raped by a stranger wearing a horrifying clown mask.
    — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 3 July 2026
Definition of horrifying
Adjective
  • Obviously there’s day to day stuff but to me, that’s just another frightening thing about being trapped in a system.
    — Caroline Reilly, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
  • Cortlandt Koerwitz/Instagram A family's Fourth of July outing took a frightening turn when a bear charged at a father outside his Lake Tahoe vacation home after startling his daughters.
    — Shafiq Najib, ABC News, 9 July 2026
Definition of frightening

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horridness
horrific
horrifically
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Cite this Entry

“Horrific.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horrific. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on horrific

Nglish: Translation of horrific for Spanish Speakers

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