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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On that horrible day, Dad was outside his vehicle supervising a ditch cleaning operation when a driver ignored traffic control devices, drove through a closed lane, and struck him, pinning him between two vehicles.—
Allysson Bornt,
New York Daily News,
19 Apr. 2026
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And every family has that annoying uncle that makes horrible jokes or one situation after another.—
Lexi Lane,
PEOPLE,
18 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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Showvay was interviewed in the doc and reflected on everything from her first date with Schipper to the shock of finding out the horrifying things her husband had done.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
14 Apr. 2026
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The film is set in the idyllic summer town of Bayleen Bay, which descends into madness when an ice cream man serves kids from his truck with horrifying results.—
Arushi Jacob,
Variety,
13 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 21 Apr. 2026.
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