1
as in terrifying
causing fear
couldn't sleep after reading a horrifying tale of evil a horrifying scream brought people running from all directions to see what was wrong
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in gruesome
extremely disturbing or repellent
the horrifying sight of a rat running through the restaurant's kitchen
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in frightening
to strike with fear
the old black-and-white psychological thriller still horrifies audiences
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of horrifying
Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 14 Apr. 2026
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
In Creggers’ Resident Evil, Abrams plays Bryan, a medical courier who unwittingly finds himself in a nonstop race for survival as one fateful, horrifying night collapses around him in chaos.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 13 Apr. 2026
Glaser’s direction, and in particular the vivid use of sound, draw horrifying juxtapositions between domestic tranquility and genocide.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Apr. 2026
Some of the most iconic bits include the now-infamous Rudy Giuliani encounter and the horrifying father-daughter OB-GYN visit.
—Debby Wolfinsohn, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Apr. 2026
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
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
The idea of legally requiring a person to lean over and cradle feces was horrifying.
—Rachel Sugar, Curbed, 8 Apr. 2026
Joe Reid, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2026
The visage, created by Universal Studio’s then-lead makeup artist Jack Pierce for the 1931 film, was horrifying enough that its influence endured for almost 100 years.
—Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2025
No special effects were required to trigger Curry's stark drift from amiability to horrifying emptiness.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Oct. 2025
Television cameras captured the ensuing violence, horrifying much of the nation.
—Time, 12 Sep. 2025
The grisly murder stayed a local story until horrifying CCTV footage of the incident started making the rounds on social media last weekend.
—Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
Mainstream Israeli media has increasingly spotlighted the dire starvation crisis in Gaza after months of Israel’s near-total aid blockade, horrifying some Israelis and triggering protests.
—Kristina Karisch, The Hill, 18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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
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
In Creggers’ Resident Evil, Abrams plays Bryan, a medical courier who unwittingly finds himself in a nonstop race for survival as one fateful, horrifying night collapses around him in chaos.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 13 Apr. 2026
Glaser’s direction, and in particular the vivid use of sound, draw horrifying juxtapositions between domestic tranquility and genocide.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Apr. 2026
Some of the most iconic bits include the now-infamous Rudy Giuliani encounter and the horrifying father-daughter OB-GYN visit.
—Debby Wolfinsohn, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Apr. 2026
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
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
The idea of legally requiring a person to lean over and cradle feces was horrifying.
—Rachel Sugar, Curbed, 8 Apr. 2026
Verb
In the years since Boogie Nights, Leo has made an unlikely hit out of The Man in the Iron Mask, then took the role of Patrick Bateman in American Psycho, showing off his range and turning that surreal and often horrifying movie into another $100 million feather in his cap.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2026
The visage, created by Universal Studio’s then-lead makeup artist Jack Pierce for the 1931 film, was horrifying enough that its influence endured for almost 100 years.
—Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2025
No special effects were required to trigger Curry's stark drift from amiability to horrifying emptiness.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Oct. 2025
Television cameras captured the ensuing violence, horrifying much of the nation.
—Time, 12 Sep. 2025
The grisly murder stayed a local story until horrifying CCTV footage of the incident started making the rounds on social media last weekend.
—Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
Mainstream Israeli media has increasingly spotlighted the dire starvation crisis in Gaza after months of Israel’s near-total aid blockade, horrifying some Israelis and triggering protests.
—Kristina Karisch, The Hill, 18 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for horrifying
Adjective
-
Some of his acts are dangerous or terrifying.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
-
In 1972, Ann-Margret fell 22 feet from a stage during a performance — a terrifying moment that could have ended her career.—
Stephanie Giang-Paunon,
FOXNews.com,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
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
Verb
-
Clumsiness notwithstanding, bringing a criminal case against a journalist who was reporting on a protest is an authoritarian tactic—a means of frightening the press away from uncovering the truth.—
Quinta Jurecic,
The Atlantic,
30 Jan. 2026
-
But monks there complained that the slain king was walking around at night, frightening them with strange sounds.—
Rivka Galchen,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
This season, Point came back from a scary right knee in January that kept him out of the Olympics.—
Eduardo A. Encina,
The Orlando Sentinel,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Josh Rottenberg spoke to Odenkirk, 63, about his recent career revision, notable for following his recovery from a scary heart attack.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The charges revealed key details and were among the first concrete public moves made in a grisly and horrific case that had been under a largely secret investigation in the seven months since the body of Celeste Rivas Hernandez was found.—
Andrew Dalton,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
-
On Thursday, another horrific crime rattled the city —15-year-old Jaden Pierre was beaten and fatally shot at point-blank range in a Queens playground.—
Rebecca White,
New York Daily News,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This isn’t a film about trauma, or smuggled-in social issues, or anything at all, really, besides the honest workaday business of scaring the bejesus out of its audience, rinsing, and repeating with extra vigor.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
16 Apr. 2026
-
And with it almost out in the world, that’s scaring him a little bit.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
And every family has that annoying uncle that makes horrible jokes or one situation after another.—
Lexi Lane,
PEOPLE,
18 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
The series abruptly concluded with Lois' shocking pregnancy news and Malcolm just starting his freshman year at Harvard.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Horrifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horrifying. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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