1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

horror show

noun

Definition of horror shownext
as in murder

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 horror show The American healthcare system, which is a horror show, plays such a big part in the entire season. — Carita Rizzo, Deadline, 16 June 2026 The result is a horror show for US science research. — ArsTechnica, 29 May 2026 Is Bryce Harper’s toothpaste application technique big-brained or a horror show? — Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 26 May 2026 Others drew comparisons to a kids’ horror show. — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for horror show
Recent Examples of Synonyms for horror show
  1. murder
  2. sticky wicket
  3. headache
  4. bear
  5. killer
  6. chore
  7. labor
  8. stinker
Noun
  • Two men have been arrested on murder charges; a hearing for one defendant will resume Wednesday.
    — Ed White, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Eric Clark, 45, surrendered to police on Friday and is charged with murder.
    — Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of murder
Noun
  • The sticky wicket, which has been the stickiest for AI-tech megacaps, is investor angst around capital expenditures and a sluggish pace of return that could send the stock on a nosedive.
    — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Of philosophy’s many sticky wickets, consciousness is perhaps the most perplexing.
    — Kevin Dickinson, Big Think, 20 Aug. 2025
Definition of sticky wicket
Noun
  • For anyone living in a household where someone snores, wakes up with headaches or drags through the day, Jack Black’s candid podcast conversation about his CPAP machine offers a familiar reference point.
    — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 25 Sep. 2026
  • People infected with typhus typically develop symptoms within one to two weeks, which may include a fever, headache, rash and body aches.
    — Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of headache
Noun
  • The loss came as such clashes are increasing, with climate change and urban sprawl bringing people closer to bears, mountain lions and other animals.
    — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
  • As the fight between market bulls and bears over the direction of the S & P 500 index intensifies, the bears could prevail, according to global financial services firm BTIG.
    — Justina Lee, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of bear
Noun
  • One penalty, in particular, was a killer for the maize and blue.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026
  • This week’s photographs include a public tour of serial killer Dorothea Puente’s former home and medals for the 319th Expeditionary Signal Battalion.
    — Nathaniel Levine, Sacbee.com, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of killer
Noun
  • The page-management tools cover common PDF chores without requiring another utility.
    — StackCommerce Team, PC Magazine, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Sullivan went back to her chores and Lizzie came downstairs to speak with her father.
    — Alex Gurley, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of chore
Noun
  • To close deals, some US homebuilders are resorting to price cuts and mortgage rate buy downs to attract buyers, squeezing profit margins that are already compressed by high raw material, labor, and financing expenses.
    — , CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Ownership is bringing an institutional balance sheet to a labor fight.
    — Chris Koras, Sportico.com, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of labor
Noun
  • The Panthers finished 3-1, after all, and only threw in one real stinker — a disjointed loss at Buffalo.
    — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 29 Aug. 2026
  • This is why most executives privately file offsites, conferences and events as stinkers.
    — Nir Bashan, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of stinker

Browse Nearby Words

horrors
horror show
horror shows
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Horror show.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horror%20show. Accessed 1 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of slew

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Oct. 2

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of the words cracker fly and sale arranged in a triangle with the word fire in the middle
Triple Play Quiz Find the word that pairs with each of the three g...
See All