Synonyms of horrifying

horrifying 1 of 2

adjective

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

• terrifying
• frightening
• scary
• horrible
• formidable
• terrible
• intimidating
• alarming
• shocking
• dread
• fearful
• startling
• dreadful
• eerie
• creepy
• ghastly
• gruesome
• frightful
• horrendous
• disturbing
• dire
• troubling
• fearsome
• spine-chilling
• forbidding
• trying
• hair-raising
• direful
• threatening
• redoubtable
• unnerving
• discouraging
• disconcerting
• daunting
• disquieting
• demoralizing
• hideous
• weird
• perturbing
• dismaying
• distressing
• nightmarish
• grisly
• appalling
• macabre
• awful
• horrid
• monstrous
• bone-chilling
• atrocious

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• reassuring
• comforting
• relaxing
• soothing
• calming
• inviting
• tranquilizing
• consoling
• nonthreatening
• quieting
• lulling
• pacifying
• nonintimidating

2

as in gruesome

extremely disturbing or repellent

the horrifying sight of a rat running through the restaurant's kitchen

Synonyms & Similar Words

• gruesome
• horrific
• shocking
• horrible
• nightmare
• frightening
• terrible
• terrifying
• terrific
• awful
• scary
• dreadful
• hideous
• appalling
• nightmarish
• grisly
• sickening
• macabre
• horrid
• ghastly
• disgusting
• horrendous
• frightful
• monstrous
• atrocious
• lurid
• alarming
• fearful
• dire
• ugly
• grotesque
• revolting
• obscene
• repulsive
• formidable
• loathsome
• offensive
• deplorable
• direful
• abhorrent
• heinous
• repugnant
• unspeakable
• gut-wrenching
• intimidating
• fearsome
• abominable
• disagreeable
• forbidding
• obnoxious
• odious
• evil
• distasteful
• vile
• bloodcurdling
• hair-raising
• nauseating
• heart-stopping
• redoubtable
• noxious
• unsightly
• noisome
• foul

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• pleasant
• attractive
• delightful
• delicious
• appealing
• enjoyable
• welcome
• satisfying
• pleasurable
• agreeable
• enticing
• pleasing
• delectable
• inviting
• comforting
• soothing
• cheering

horrifying

2 of 2

verb

present participle of horrify

as in frightening

to strike with fear

the old black-and-white psychological thriller still horrifies audiences

Synonyms & Similar Words

• frightening
• terrifying
• scaring
• startling
• shocking
• alarming
• spooking
• terrorizing
• scarifying
• shaking
• panicking
• appalling
• frighting
• amazing
• affrighting
• worrying
• astounding
• dismaying
• disturbing
• distracting
• giving one the creeps
• making one's flesh creep
• jolting
• unsettling
• daunting
• distressing
• unnerving
• disconcerting
• disquieting
• shaking up
• upsetting
• dispiriting
• discomforting
• awing
• emasculating
• bowling over
• perturbing
• demoralizing
• chilling
• undoing
• psyching (out)
• flooring
• unmanning
• discomposing
• unstringing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• reassuring
• comforting
• assuring
• cheering
• soothing
• consoling
• encouraging
• inspiring
• solacing
• heartening
• emboldening
• steeling

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of horrifying

Adjective

Finding a place where the familiar and the horrifying meet has always been a sweet spot for Kelly. — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026

IndieWire exclusively releases the video, which sees the two directors discussing everything from post-production workflows to the horrifying experience of being a young person in a world that often feels brutally unstable. — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 28 Aug. 2026

As horrifying as this might sound, remember that the Romans didn’t know about germs. — Andrew Coletti, Popular Science, 27 Aug. 2026

Video captured by security cameras perched on the mountainside show the horrifying moment when the wall of mud descended on the Gyirong Port facility, swallowing the six-story building whole as dozens of people run for their lives. — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 26 Aug. 2026

Violent attacks by Israeli settlers have accelerated across the West Bank in recent weeks, adding to what has already been a horrifying year for Palestinian communities in the territory. — Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2026

Equal parts emotional, horrifying and humorous, Pagans unearths all our darkest thoughts about family. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 20 Aug. 2026

Soon, the horrifying virus is everywhere, and resulting scarcities of water, food, and medicine cause panic, which leads to false conspiracy theories, riots, and an utter collapse of social trust. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 19 Aug. 2026

Soon, Martinez was talking to police at the scene of the crash, and the horrifying reality of Camera’s death began to set in. — Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 19 Aug. 2026

Verb

The complications are horrifying doctors. — Alexandra Frost, USA Today, 24 June 2026

Following her rescue, horrifying details of what happened to Jaycee began to emerge. — Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026

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