as in to frighten
to strike with fear
the old black-and-white psychological thriller still horrifies audiences
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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
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Recent Examples of horrify
Brittney Melton, NPR, 2 June 2025
In 1923, horrified by news from Italy, Holdsworth founded the National Union for Combating Fascism.
—David Renton
may 12, Literary Hub, 12 May 2025
Are his friends horrified by this textbook midlife crisis, down to the fancy sports car and younger girlfriend, or jealous of Nick’s freedom?
—Alison Herman, Variety, 1 May 2025
The medical professionals were horrified to learn the truth.
—Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for horrify
Verb
The attack has shaken and horrified the Jewish community in Boulder, Megan Verlee of member station Colorado Public Radio says.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 2 June 2025
In 1923, horrified by news from Italy, Holdsworth founded the National Union for Combating Fascism.
—David Renton
may 12, Literary Hub, 12 May 2025
Are his friends horrified by this textbook midlife crisis, down to the fancy sports car and younger girlfriend, or jealous of Nick’s freedom?
—Alison Herman, Variety, 1 May 2025
The medical professionals were horrified to learn the truth.
—Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for horrify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for horrify
Adjective
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When the body of a young man is found eerily staged in the idyllic Scottish wilderness, detective Monica Kennedy fears this is just the beginning of a terrifying campaign that will strike the heart of a rural community.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
1 July 2025
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The terrifying moment that passengers were made to put on oxygen masks was captured on video.—
Latoya Gayle,
People.com,
1 July 2025
Adjective
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Accounts of government and police repression have only gotten more gruesome, with Amnesty Kenya reporting that 16 people have been shot and killed as of June 28 and local officials claiming that hundreds have been injured (while also alleging that most of those hurt were police officers).—
Mankaprr Conteh,
Rolling Stone,
30 June 2025
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Forget turning on some gruesome horror movie: reading the daily headlines is enough to make just about anyone scream.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
26 June 2025
Adjective
-
The great outdoors can be a big and frightening place, especially for cats who have only seen it from the safety of the great indoors.—
Joan Morris,
Mercury News,
7 July 2025
-
Moreover, if their environment is unpredictable, frightening, or volatile, some children learn that any disagreement could lead to danger and try to bury their feelings to avoid conflict and maintain a sense of peace.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Parents,
7 July 2025
Adjective
-
Throughout the Holocaust, the Nazis concentrated European Jews in urban ghettos, which were marked by horrific living conditions, forced labor and the threat of execution.—
Tom Dreisbach,
NPR,
30 June 2025
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And that's a tough sell to a jury that spent weeks listening to horrific testimony about Diddy and his empire.—
Lauryn Overhultz,
FOXNews.com,
29 June 2025
Adjective
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This was in the days when only lunatics or scary white punks had shaved heads.—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
30 June 2025
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The 24-year-old is only going to get better, and that's a scary thing for the league.—
Ricardo Klein,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 June 2025
Adjective
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In addition to all the shocking Prime Day finds on sale now, J.Crew Factory is stepping up and dropping prices.—
Alyssa Grabinski,
People.com,
9 July 2025
-
All those TikToks sharing the most important news of the week, or the Instagram influencers reacting to a shocking headline, or the YouTubers making video essays analyzing current events — all of these could not exist without the labor and specialized knowledge of journalists.—
Reia Li,
AZCentral.com,
9 July 2025
Adjective
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To be able to say that so many writers have been meaningful to you is not a horrible thing.—
John Warner,
Chicago Tribune,
28 June 2025
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If Flagg develops into the human triple double who leads the team to the Western Conference Finals and NBA Finals in his first six years, the trade can be called not a horrible deal.—
Mac Engel,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 June 2025
Adjective
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In short, because the Ukrainians have put up a formidable defense.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
9 July 2025
-
Central and undeniable, beautiful and formidable, and oftentimes frustrating.—
Lidija Hilje
July 8,
Literary Hub,
8 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Horrify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horrify. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
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