as in agony
a situation or state that causes great suffering and unhappiness
that 20-page exam was a nightmare
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in horrific
extremely disturbing or repellent
survivors of a nuclear holocaust would surely face a nightmare existence
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of nightmare
Kristin Scharkey, USA Today, 7 May 2026
The forward was a nightmare for opposing defenses, finishing the year with 30 goals and nine assists, including five crucial playoff goals.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 May 2026
Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026
This is the nightmare scenario for California Democrats.
—Tom Charron, Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nightmare
Noun
Commuting nightmares Think your commute is bad?
—Kristin Scharkey, USA Today, 7 May 2026
The forward was a nightmare for opposing defenses, finishing the year with 30 goals and nine assists, including five crucial playoff goals.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 May 2026
Adjective
But the 22-year-old is not alone in having a nightmare individual performance on a high-profile sporting stage.
—Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026
This is the nightmare scenario for California Democrats.
—Tom Charron, Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nightmare
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nightmare
Noun
-
Hidden is the agony of parents mourning the loss of their babies.—
Duaa Eldeib,
CNN Money,
8 May 2026
-
This multi-generational story explores the beauty, agony, and hilarity of loving other people deeply.—
Angelique Jackson,
Variety,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
Critically, Michael doesn’t recoil when Jackie shares her horrific story.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
1 May 2026
-
And Russia has struggled to replenish its military ranks amid horrific casualties on the Ukrainian front line.—
Nathan Hodge,
CNN Money,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Riley has spent the majority of the past two decades attempting to distance himself from his book-selling mantra of championship or misery.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
4 May 2026
-
The misery wrought by insurgents in largely ungoverned spaces will push people to flee.—
Ulf Laessing,
semafor.com,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But some of our most gruesome memories as a band are also our favorites.—
Katie Gavin,
Time,
8 May 2026
-
The truth the jury learned was far more gruesome.—
Nicole Russell,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
Who knows the horrors of the seas like HERMAN MELVILLE?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The psychological horror film, starring Armie Hammer, Dakota Johnson and Zazie Beetz, was distributed by Hulu in the United States and Netflix internationally.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But early polls have showed Schlossberg parlaying his Kennedy aura, name recognition and attention-grabbing social media chops into a shocking lead, with Bores also in the mix.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
9 May 2026
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Six permanent outdoor works are dotted around the property, including a large rocket by Polish artist Goshka Macuga and a shocking pink tree, commissioned specifically for the island, by Pamela Rosenkranz.—
Fiona Sinclair Scott,
CNN Money,
9 May 2026
Noun
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Among the most notable upcoming executions is that of Christa Pike in Tennessee for the 1995 torture murder of her romantic rival.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
-
When putting on anything other than pajamas seems like pure torture, this T-shirt dress comes to the rescue.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
That is a really horrible thing.—
David Chiu,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
-
The Virginia Supreme Court has just struck down the Democrats’ horrible gerrymander.—
Justin Papp,
CNBC,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nightmare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nightmare. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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