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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 horrifying
Josef Joffe, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2026
While the Guthrie disappearance is a rare but horrifying instance of the perils of an elderly person living alone, many families struggle with worry and concern over older relatives who live by themselves.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
In 7th place on iSpot’s ranking was Amazon’s Alexa+ spot starring Chris Hemsworth, who runs through several horrifying thought experiments about how the advanced AI might be plotting to murder him in his own home.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 9 Feb. 2026
Ice Cream Man follows an idyllic summer town descending into madness when an ice cream man serves kids sweet delights with horrifying results.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 6 Feb. 2026
At the time it was widely reported that Censori was thinking of leaving Ye amid a deluge of horrifying behavior, and possibly—or so the leering speculation of tabloids and comments sections goes—abuse of Censori herself.
—Anna Peele, Vanity Fair, 6 Feb. 2026
Despite the internet shutdown, footage of many horrifying scenes began to emerge, including images of a makeshift morgue set up outside the Legal Medicine Organization (a state forensic institute) in Kahrizak, near Tehran, after the facility’s morgue overflowed with bodies.
—Hamid Kashani, Twin Cities, 5 Feb. 2026
De Araújo has been one to watch, a filmmaker of great clarity and vision, one who is not only willing to take on horrifying stories, but to bring them actual new dimension without exploitation.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 3 Feb. 2026
The truth became more horrifying.
—Kansas City Star, 3 Feb. 2026
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
The trail of terror since is too long to lay out in all its horrifying detail—in Madrid and Munich, in Strasburg and Stockholm, and all the way to Hamas’s mass murder of Jews on October 7, 2023.
—Josef Joffe, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2026
While the Guthrie disappearance is a rare but horrifying instance of the perils of an elderly person living alone, many families struggle with worry and concern over older relatives who live by themselves.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
In 7th place on iSpot’s ranking was Amazon’s Alexa+ spot starring Chris Hemsworth, who runs through several horrifying thought experiments about how the advanced AI might be plotting to murder him in his own home.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 9 Feb. 2026
Ice Cream Man follows an idyllic summer town descending into madness when an ice cream man serves kids sweet delights with horrifying results.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 6 Feb. 2026
At the time it was widely reported that Censori was thinking of leaving Ye amid a deluge of horrifying behavior, and possibly—or so the leering speculation of tabloids and comments sections goes—abuse of Censori herself.
—Anna Peele, Vanity Fair, 6 Feb. 2026
Despite the internet shutdown, footage of many horrifying scenes began to emerge, including images of a makeshift morgue set up outside the Legal Medicine Organization (a state forensic institute) in Kahrizak, near Tehran, after the facility’s morgue overflowed with bodies.
—Hamid Kashani, Twin Cities, 5 Feb. 2026
De Araújo has been one to watch, a filmmaker of great clarity and vision, one who is not only willing to take on horrifying stories, but to bring them actual new dimension without exploitation.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 3 Feb. 2026
The truth became more horrifying.
—Kansas City Star, 3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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
-
Even the more terrifying creatures, like rattlesnakes and scorpions, have their own undeniable, deadly beauty.—
Becky Bartkowski,
AZCentral.com,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The story that introduced millions of streaming viewers to the Crain family and their terrifying home is getting a brand-new life — this time, on stage.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
And Margot Robbie gives the character a sharpness, an agency that’s a relief from the wilting Catherines of yore — which actually makes her ultimate gruesome fate feel that much more tragic.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Prisoners endured frequent selections, some by Nazi doctor Josef Mengele, known for his gruesome experiments on camp inmates.—
Lesley Stahl,
CBS News,
16 Feb. 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
-
That was such a terrible shock and really upsetting, horrifying, and scary.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Feb. 2026
-
There’s such a faithful sense of tone to the book, which is uncanny and scary.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Pregnancy was an offense punishable by death in the camps, yet all three women managed to survive horrific conditions, give birth and keep their newborns alive through seemingly impossible twists of fate and luck.—
Lesley Stahl,
CBS News,
16 Feb. 2026
-
His cinema verite style powerfully exposed the horrific inhumanity of public institutions (like hospitals, schools and housing projects) supposedly created to help people.—
Duane Byrge,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
According to Bloomberg, analysts are already antsy about increasing prices scaring away customers, particularly as the cost of living continues to rise.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Most of that money would go to compensate ranchers for cattle eaten by wolves and for guard dogs, scaring devices or other means to keep them away from livestock.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
And for the next year its law enforcement members were hailed as heroes for their efforts that prevented a horrible situation from becoming even worse.—
Denise Crosby,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
-
There’s nary a crease to be seen in Bina Daigeler’s costumes, all covetable, unapproachable and tailored to the gods; Matthew Herbert’s score may be among the lushest ever slathered over such horrible goings-on.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
This shocking ignorance and insensitivity by Ocasio-Cortez should rule her out of any potential presidential bid or other high office.—
Benjamin Weinthal,
FOXNews.com,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Viewers barely have time to register what’s in front of them before there’s another shocking accusation, revelation, or character detail.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Horrifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horrifying. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
