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
Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 6 May 2026
Associated Risks of Carpet Beetles Though that information may sound, well, moderately horrifying, carpet beetles pose no potential harm to you personally.
—Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 1 May 2026
Unicellular terror The amoeba the doctors found was Acanthamoeba, which is known to cause such horrifying infections.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 1 May 2026
What’s the most horrifying part of this wedding to you?
—The Editors, Vulture, 30 Apr. 2026
As the lawsuits make clear with horrifying details, the victims died in terrible ways.
—Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 29 Apr. 2026
New video captured the horrifying moment a Florida police officer’s body camera stopped a bullet from piercing his chest while conducting a routine investigation last month.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
In Apex, Theron plays Sasha, a rock climber dealing with the horrifying loss of her partner (Eric Bana).
—Emily Zemler, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Apr. 2026
In a statement, Denver District Attorney John Walsh described the shooting as a horrifying incident.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 23 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
And while the concept of working is horrifying to nearly everyone else, Mary is captivated by the possibility of striking out on her own, even with the comfort of the very sweet Gardiner family.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 6 May 2026
Associated Risks of Carpet Beetles Though that information may sound, well, moderately horrifying, carpet beetles pose no potential harm to you personally.
—Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 1 May 2026
Unicellular terror The amoeba the doctors found was Acanthamoeba, which is known to cause such horrifying infections.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 1 May 2026
What’s the most horrifying part of this wedding to you?
—The Editors, Vulture, 30 Apr. 2026
As the lawsuits make clear with horrifying details, the victims died in terrible ways.
—Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 29 Apr. 2026
New video captured the horrifying moment a Florida police officer’s body camera stopped a bullet from piercing his chest while conducting a routine investigation last month.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
In Apex, Theron plays Sasha, a rock climber dealing with the horrifying loss of her partner (Eric Bana).
—Emily Zemler, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Apr. 2026
In a statement, Denver District Attorney John Walsh described the shooting as a horrifying incident.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 23 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
-
For most people, the idea of ceding control to a robot is out there at best; downright terrifying at worst.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
9 May 2026
-
One of those terrifying moments happened on a public stairwell.—
Lexi Lane,
PEOPLE,
9 May 2026
Adjective
-
But some of our most gruesome memories as a band are also our favorites.—
Katie Gavin,
Time,
8 May 2026
-
The truth the jury learned was far more gruesome.—
Nicole Russell,
USA Today,
7 May 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
-
Similar to human drivers, Zoox's AI and safety systems aren't infallible, but the test ride vehicle didn't exhibit any odd behaviors that seemed problematic or scary for occupants.—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
11 May 2026
-
Taking a driverless robotaxi to the airport still feels a bit scary for many people.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
The legislation followed horrific flooding in Central Texas on July 4 that resulted in 25 campers and two counselors losing their lives at Camp Mystic.—
Jack Fink,
CBS News,
8 May 2026
-
There are plenty of sad stories associated with the horrific fiery crash.—
Paul Eisenberg,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Plus, nobody will careen past you at 110 mph, scaring you spitless.—
Allen Best,
Denver Post,
24 Apr. 2026
-
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
Adjective
-
That is a really horrible thing.—
David Chiu,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
-
The Virginia Supreme Court has just struck down the Democrats’ horrible gerrymander.—
Justin Papp,
CNBC,
8 May 2026
Adjective
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But early polls have showed Schlossberg parlaying his Kennedy aura, name recognition and attention-grabbing social media chops into a shocking lead, with Bores also in the mix.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
9 May 2026
-
Six permanent outdoor works are dotted around the property, including a large rocket by Polish artist Goshka Macuga and a shocking pink tree, commissioned specifically for the island, by Pamela Rosenkranz.—
Fiona Sinclair Scott,
CNN Money,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Horrifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horrifying. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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