1
as in dreadfulness
the quality of inspiring intense dread or dismay
it's difficult to even begin to comprehend the horror of the Holocaust
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nightmare
a situation or state that causes great suffering and unhappiness
had never experienced the horrors of war
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3
4
as in fear
the emotion experienced in the presence or threat of danger
imagine my horror at finding myself face to face with a lion on the loose
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5
as in disgust
a dislike so strong as to cause stomach upset or queasiness
cat lover or no, she regards cleaning the litter box with horror
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of horror
Despite the horror of it all, Bareilles handled the situation with the kind of grace and humor that made the video impossible to stop watching.
—
Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 23 Mar. 2026
And out rushes a blazingly cathartic torrent of honesty and horror.
—Sibani Ram, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026
The horror of Valentine’s Day 2018 remains so vivid.
—Kamye Hugley, Sun Sentinel, 22 Mar. 2026
The bloody horror sequel is projected to earn $9 million by the end of the weekend.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for horror
Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 23 Mar. 2026
And out rushes a blazingly cathartic torrent of honesty and horror.
—Sibani Ram, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026
The horror of Valentine’s Day 2018 remains so vivid.
—Kamye Hugley, Sun Sentinel, 22 Mar. 2026
The bloody horror sequel is projected to earn $9 million by the end of the weekend.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for horror
Recent Examples of Synonyms for horror
Noun
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The settings were a nightmare to navigate, the games were full of ads and in-game purchases, and the screen broke after a year — one star.—
Alexander Kaplan,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
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The getaway spirals into terror when Katie (Charli xcx) becomes possessed by a violent, tortured spirit (Mizuhara), unleashing a nightmare steeped in Japanese horror tradition.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Nobody else will clean up the mess in Iran.—
David Ignatius,
Washington Post,
19 Mar. 2026
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So, with Paul and Mortensen’s latest mess playing out in real time in the public sphere, what is the point of watching her pretend to search for romance on The Bachelorette?—
Jodi Guglielmi,
Rolling Stone,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Geopolitical tensions – including the war in Iran – have revived fears of terrorism and instability.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
23 Mar. 2026
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The new orders have added to fears that Israel is seeking to essentially cut off swaths of southern Lebanon from the rest of the country.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Along the route, my father would point in disgust at the large Olympic-torch flames dotting the horizon and rising above the acres of palm trees flanking the highway.—
Noo Saro-Wiwa,
The Dial,
24 Mar. 2026
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Students expressed anger and disgust.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Many of these songs have unfortunately become more relevant today, with the atrocities committed against innocent civilians in conflicts around the world, to the extrajudicial killing of Americans at home.—
Christina Hioureas,
Rolling Stone,
22 Mar. 2026
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But this out-of-time music comes to us when the natural world is deteriorating and the ever-present internet is a tool of mass surveillance and a lens to witness multiple global atrocities at once.—
Vrinda Jagota,
Pitchfork,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Movie night meant a trip to the video store, and every household knew the agony of forgetting to rewind before returning a rental.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
20 Mar. 2026
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The celebrated poet and memoirist, delves into the agonies of her decision and describes the emerging women’s liberation movement, of which Moore would soon become a participant.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The real fright, though, came midway through that final frame, when star center Dylan Larkin went down in a heap after his skate seemed to catch awkwardly on the ice.—
Max Bultman,
New York Times,
7 Mar. 2026
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Many movies tried to recreate its magic mixture, including some of its own sequels, but few achieved the merry concoction of frights, gore, and giggles that Craven handled so masterfully.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
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For others, like Swarthout, that means pushing through anxiety to keep long-standing plans.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
23 Mar. 2026
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Teenagers with difficulty accessing their outpatient mental health care come to the ED in crisis, with intensifying depression or anxiety.—
Dr. Lauren Palladino,
Hartford Courant,
22 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Horror.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horror. Accessed 26 Mar. 2026.
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