nightmare 1 of 2

noun

ˈnīt-ˌmer How to pronounce nightmare (audio)
Definition of nightmarenext
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

nightmare

2 of 2

adjective

as in horrific
extremely disturbing or repellent survivors of a nuclear holocaust would surely face a nightmare existence

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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 nightmare
Noun
Not to mention, it’s widely believed that heavy foods close to bedtime can lead to nightmares. — Mura Dominko, Martha Stewart, 19 July 2026 Critics often portray Section 106 as a bureaucratic nightmare that serves only to make Washington architecture boring and slow. — Janay Kingsberry, The Atlantic, 19 July 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
  1. agony
  2. horrific
  3. misery
  4. gruesome
  5. horror
  6. shocking
  7. torture
  8. horrible
Noun
  • Negron shared her agony over losing her brother on social media.
    — Julian Roberts-Grmela, New York Daily News, 18 July 2026
  • Sadly, in discouraging all the phantom agonies, FIFA inadvertently seems to have done away with the equally farcical phenomenon that is Magic Spray®.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of agony
Adjective
  • Her family members could be seen getting emotional as the detective described the horrific scene.
    — Alex Stone, ABC News, 21 July 2026
  • The end of this horrific tableau draws a distinct difference between Loustat and Loumand.
    — Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
Definition of horrific
Noun
  • Little overnight relief Exacerbating the misery will be the lack of cooling temperatures overnight.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026
  • Smith Galer has much to say against the case for putting languages out of their misery, but her focus is on a point with which even the most unsentimental can surely sympathize.
    — Nikhil Krishnan, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
Definition of misery
Adjective
  • Multiple gruesome photos of the crime scene were exhibited on screen during the first day of the preliminary hearing Tuesday, showing a garbage bag with limbs inside, as well as Rivas’ bloody head and torso.
    — Christine Pelisek, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026
  • Directed by James Watkins and written by Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini, the film places one of the most gruesome villains from the DC universe front and center.
    — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 22 July 2026
Definition of gruesome
Noun
  • The blast rings out as the helpless attorney watches in horror.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 22 July 2026
  • The actress, 31, was seen in New Jersey on Wednesday, July 22, filming Possession, a remake of the 1981 horror classic.
    — Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026
Definition of horror
Adjective
  • This mixture of raucous comedy and unusually vivid war scenes was considered quite shocking for its time.
    — Tim Page, The Washington Examiner, 25 July 2026
  • The first story was set in the 1980s while the second volume, recently wrapped, was set in the 1990s, at the dawn of the Internet age and culminated with a shocking finale that left readers’ jaws on the forest floor.
    — Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 25 July 2026
Definition of shocking
Noun
  • The violence and torture that took place in detention centers were also gendered, as women suffered abuses different from those to which men were subjected.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 July 2026
  • Naturally, the first question asks about his involvement in the crypto torture.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 23 July 2026
Definition of torture
Adjective
  • My husband holds the pamphlet close to his face in bed the next morning, my light creating a horrible glare on the glossy paper.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
  • The family wants to have accountability for this horrible crime.
    — Eric Shawn, FOXNews.com, 18 July 2026
Definition of horrible

Browse Nearby Words

nightly
nightmare
nightmares
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Cite this Entry

“Nightmare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nightmare. Accessed 28 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on nightmare

Nglish: Translation of nightmare for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about nightmare

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