as in gruesome
extremely disturbing or repellent
horrific images of the devastation spurred many people to give generously
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Recent Examples of horrific
Brad Lambert appears to have rediscovered high-end offensive instincts, Neal Pionk is producing again, and a truly horrific power play got three great bounces and seems to have come to life.
—
Murat Ates, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Though the series offers glimpses of the palatial houses and parties of the elite, something horrific is always just within frame.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 7 Apr. 2026
A week has passed since the horrific death of Nancy Metayer Bowen, an admired leader in Broward County, the vice mayor of Coral Springs, and a rising young star in the Democratic Party.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 7 Apr. 2026
This 2007 documentary doesn’t skimp on any of the horrific details in Fish’s story, of which there are many.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for horrific
Murat Ates, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Though the series offers glimpses of the palatial houses and parties of the elite, something horrific is always just within frame.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 7 Apr. 2026
A week has passed since the horrific death of Nancy Metayer Bowen, an admired leader in Broward County, the vice mayor of Coral Springs, and a rising young star in the Democratic Party.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 7 Apr. 2026
This 2007 documentary doesn’t skimp on any of the horrific details in Fish’s story, of which there are many.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for horrific
Recent Examples of Synonyms for horrific
Adjective
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What follows is a crescendo of bloody madness, including a gruesome toenail cutting scene that shouldn’t be viewed while eating, a grandma being eaten alive by a pack of coyotes and a truly bonkers wake that erupts into laugh-out-loud violence thanks to a pair of dentures.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
17 Apr. 2026
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Since then, The Pitt has blown up in an unlikely way for any cultural object in the 2020s, much less a gruesome medical drama.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Zendaya and Robert Pattinson star in Kristoffer Borgli’s rug-pull rom-com, which follows a soon-to-be-married couple whose relationship implodes after a shocking revelation.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
11 Apr. 2026
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The series abruptly concluded with Lois' shocking pregnancy news and Malcolm just starting his freshman year at Harvard.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In the case of this April 1, Atlanta just experienced a horrible and tragic Wednesday in traffic.—
Doug Turnbull,
AJC.com,
12 Apr. 2026
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Your cabdriver is taking you on a horrible route.—
Zach Schiffman,
Curbed,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Not terrible, but far from correct.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Apr. 2026
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Matt wasn't so sure, pointing to his record of selling drugs and trafficking weapons, but Foggy argued in favor of giving even someone who has done terrible things a second chance.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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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
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This is the nightmare scenario for California Democrats.—
Tom Charron,
Mercury News,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Hate ’em ’cause they Tatum Jayson Tatum’s jumper is returning, a horrifying development for the other Eastern Conference contenders.—
Fred Katz,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2026
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Rue’s adventures as a drug mule are both horrifying and blisteringly funny, walking a tightrope that Levinson has always navigated expertly.—
Radhika Seth,
Vogue,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Adding a deadly shooter to spread the floor around Collier could make a dangerous 3-point shooting scheme even more frightening for Lynx opponents.—
Matthew Coller,
Twin Cities,
12 Apr. 2026
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Flynn can’t help but wonder if there is a frightening connection between the family’s disappearance and PDQ’s vengeance.—
Sandra Dallas,
Denver Post,
12 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Horrific.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horrific. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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