Synonyms of horrify

horrify 1 of 3

verb (1)

ˈhȯr-ə-ˌfī 

as in to frighten

to strike with fear

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• frighten
• scare
• terrify
• startle
• spook
• shock
• terrorize
• panic
• fright
• scarify
• alarm
• shake
• affright
• appall
• amaze
• astound
• worry
• distract
• give one the creeps
• dismay
• make one's flesh creep
• awe
• shake up
• unnerve
• daunt
• unsettle
• jolt
• disturb
• dispirit
• emasculate
• disconcert
• upset
• discomfort
• demoralize
• perturb
• distress
• disquiet
• floor
• psych (out)
• unman
• undo
• bowl over
• discompose
• unstring
• chill

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• reassure
• assure
• soothe
• comfort
• cheer
• encourage
• inspire
• console
• steel
• solace
• embolden
• hearten

horrifying

2 of 3

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

3 of 3

verb (2)

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

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb horrify contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of horrify are appall, daunt, and dismay. While all these words mean "to unnerve or deter by arousing fear, apprehension, or aversion," horrify stresses a reaction of horror or revulsion.

was horrified by such wanton cruelty

When is appall a more appropriate choice than horrify?

While in some cases nearly identical to horrify, appall implies that one is faced with that which perturbs, confounds, or shocks.

I am appalled by your behavior

In what contexts can daunt take the place of horrify?

In some situations, the words daunt and horrify are roughly equivalent. However, daunt suggests a cowing, disheartening, or frightening in a venture requiring courage.

a cliff that would daunt the most intrepid climber

Where would dismay be a reasonable alternative to horrify?

The words dismay and horrify are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, dismay implies that one is disconcerted and at a loss as to how to deal with something.

dismayed at the size of the job

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of horrify

Verb

Many parents and alumni were horrified. —Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 11 Mar. 2026

The president, who was in his last months, was by some accounts sympathetic to Bohr’s arguments, but when Winston Churchill heard them, he was horrified. —Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2026

Adjective

After all, the findings of this report pale in comparison to the horrifying gaps exposed by toothless audits from the Maryland General Assembly’s Office of Legislative Audits. —Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 4 Mar. 2026

Then, in a horrifying shift that is becoming all too real for Satchkova’s American readers—agents of the state show up at Maya’s door. —Literary Hub, 2 Mar. 2026

Verb

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