horror-struck

adjective

ˈhȯr-ər-ˌstrək How to pronounce horror-struck (audio)
Definition of horror-strucknext
as in frightened
filled with fear or dread horror-struck, the villagers watched helplessly as the tsunami hit the shore

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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-struck Other people were horror-struck by the verdicts in each of these cases, seeing them as a catastrophic failure of the American system of justice. — Susan Shelley, Orange County Register, 31 May 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for horror-struck
  1. frightened
  2. terrified
  3. afraid
  4. scared
  5. horrified
  6. shocked
  7. alarmed
  8. fearful
Adjective
  • Perel compares the moment facing today’s executives to the one facing a parent with a frightened child.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 17 July 2026
  • The bear, seemingly frightened, quickly turns away from the boy and continues running, sliding under a boat parked in the driveway.
    — Mason Leib, ABC News, 7 July 2026
Definition of frightened
Adjective
  • Part of his charm here included playing the stalwart father figure to two terrified kids — someone a child could trust to stick around and keep watch all night when the dinosaurs came chomping.
    — Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 14 July 2026
  • On the 14th floor, three of them broke into Ojeda’s apartment, handcuffed him in front of his terrified wife and son, and dragged him out, according to court documents and security video.
    — Sebastian Rotella, ProPublica, 10 July 2026
Definition of terrified
Adjective
  • Sometimes in big matches, being afraid of taking a risk is the riskiest strategy of all.
    — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 16 July 2026
  • Pay attention to the wash and cut, and don’t be afraid to ditch your plain blue jeans for bolder alternatives.
    — India Roby, Glamour, 15 July 2026
Definition of afraid
Adjective
  • Òdódó’s transformation from a naïve and scared young woman into a powerful and influential queen at the king’s court is both remarkable and realistic, and so is her complex relationship with her husband (and captor).
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 July 2026
  • Some nights, when he was stressed or scared, Jean would tell him stories.
    — Juliet Linderman, Fortune, 16 July 2026
Definition of scared
Adjective
  • In one early scene, a horrified Pam stares into her bathroom mirror, covered head to toe in blood.
    — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 13 July 2026
  • The first police officer on the scene quickly ran back to the station for help, while neighbors calmed the horrified Lizzie.
    — Sophia Zhang, Encyclopedia Britannica, 16 June 2026
Definition of horrified
Adjective
  • The first season ended with a big cliffhanger, in which Cooper emerged from a cocoon after a transformation to a shocked reaction though his appearance was not revealed.
    — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 13 July 2026
  • In Atlanta last week, Mohamed Salah and his Egypt team-mates walked out of the stadium in shocked silence.
    — Oliver Kay, New York Times, 12 July 2026
Definition of shocked
Adjective
  • Elsewhere alarmed Palestinian farmers—witnessing the growing trench tearing them away from their lands—surround the vehicles.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 July 2026
  • But city officials don’t seem alarmed, saying that the project’s size was bound to change, and that the project is still aligned with the city code.
    — Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 9 July 2026
Definition of alarmed
Adjective
  • Team members can feel disconnected and fearful that the new boss will damage their existing culture and maybe even eliminate their roles, as with outsourcing to AI.
    — Liz Guthridge, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • The facing page depicts a mother, fearful, sneaking away to protect her new child.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 July 2026
Definition of fearful

Browse Nearby Words

horror shows
horror-struck
hors d'oeuvre
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Cite this Entry

“Horror-struck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horror-struck. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

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