Synonym Chooser

How is the word macabre different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of macabre are ghastly, grisly, gruesome, and lurid. While all these words mean "horrifying and repellent in appearance or aspect," macabre implies a morbid preoccupation with the physical aspects of death.

a macabre tale of premature burial

When would ghastly be a good substitute for macabre?

The synonyms ghastly and macabre are sometimes interchangeable, but ghastly suggests the terrifying aspects of corpses and ghosts.

a ghastly accident

How are the words grisly and gruesome related as synonyms of macabre?

Both grisly and gruesome suggest additionally the results of extreme violence or cruelty.

an unusually grisly murder
suffered a gruesome death

How do lurid and gruesome relate to one another, in the sense of macabre?

Lurid adds to gruesome the suggestion of shuddering fascination with violent death and especially with murder.

the lurid details of a crime

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 macabre Then the plot departs from reality and descends into macabre humor, with Cole accidentally pushing the old lady down the stairs, killing her. Kaitlyn Huamani, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2025 Père Lachaise had had a similar problem until its operators, in a macabre bit of marketing, arranged for the remains of Molière and Jean de La Fontaine to be relocated to their grounds. Paige Williams, New Yorker, 2 June 2025 Folks dropped letters of thanks in the Marshall’s mailbox, saying the macabre decor brightened their day. Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 30 May 2025 There’s a third kid involved in the story called Oliver, played with macabre relish by Jonah Wren Phillips. Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 30 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for macabre
Recent Examples of Synonyms for macabre
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • The 6-foot-7 forward will join Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis with the Mavericks, who are looking to turn around the franchise following the shocking midseason trade of Luka Dončić in February.
    Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 27 June 2025
  • The Paris heavyweight routed Atletico Madrid 4-0 in their Club World Cup opening game, suffered a shocking 1-0 upset by Brazilian club Botafogo in their second match, and then beat the Seattle Sounders 2-0 to clinch first place in the group.
    Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 27 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Macabre.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/macabre. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on macabre

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