Synonyms of macabre

macabre

adjective

mə-ˈkäb 

as in gruesome

extremely disturbing or repellent

a macabre movie about animated corpses

Synonyms & Similar Words

• gruesome
• horrific
• shocking
• nightmare
• frightening
• horrifying
• horrible
• terrible
• terrifying
• grisly
• terrific
• hideous
• scary
• dreadful
• nightmarish
• awful
• ghastly
• sickening
• appalling
• lurid
• frightful
• horrid
• monstrous
• disgusting
• horrendous
• atrocious
• grewsome
• alarming
• grotesque
• fearful
• obscene
• ugly
• formidable
• repulsive
• revolting
• offensive
• loathsome
• dire
• repugnant
• heinous
• unspeakable
• intimidating
• bloodcurdling
• abhorrent
• forbidding
• odious
• disagreeable
• direful
• deplorable
• evil
• abominable
• fearsome
• gut-wrenching
• obnoxious
• distasteful
• vile
• hair-raising
• heart-stopping
• nauseating
• redoubtable
• noxious
• noisome
• unsightly
• foul

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• delightful
• pleasant
• attractive
• delicious
• appealing
• welcome
• enjoyable
• agreeable
• satisfying
• delectable
• pleasurable
• enticing
• pleasing
• inviting
• comforting
• soothing
• cheering

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

Recent Examples of macabre

The comic led Eden through the highlights of her career, including one macabre moment during a live performance in Las Vegas. —Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 1 Sep. 2025

The child spent his last moments locked in a room with the gunman What unfolded for the child just before police arrived was macabre. —Chris Ramirez, jsonline.com, 23 Aug. 2025

The second one was macabre body horror, a hospital setting, but actually, we were tasked with putting it in that section. —Bethy Squires, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2025

Frightening as these prank calls are, their recipients refuse to take the message seriously, because surely the whole thing is just a macabre practical joke. —Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 10 Aug. 2025

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