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

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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
As anyone familiar with the Kurosawa original or Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest will guess, that’s when the nightmare kicks in. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026 As people suffer the effects of disease, the vampire rises to plague our nightmares. — Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2026
Adjective
This is the nightmare scenario behind the Kessler syndrome, a cascading chain of collisions that could render entire orbital pathways unusable. — Alan Bradley, Space.com, 2 Aug. 2026 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 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
  • His personal agony fused with despair over the military government, which continued to crack down on democracy activists.
    — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Now, the defining image of the death penalty in 2026 is a woman strapped to a gurney, in unbearable agony, being tortured by prison officials tasked with killing her but unable to do so.
    — Maya Foa, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of agony
Adjective
  • My heart goes out to her family, friends, and everyone who is affected by this horrific incident.
    — Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 4 Oct. 2026
  • In late August, a horrific but fortunately injury-free blaze at the Folsom Flea Market wreaked havoc on a number of small local businesses operating out of the space.
    — Aaron Davis, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of horrific
Noun
  • The misery of the situation could feel overwhelming, even cruel, but Cahyono’s observation of Sumiati’s struggles is humane and sympathetic.
    — Kambole Campbell, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
  • For Palestinians, the anniversary brings another day of fear and misery.
    — Melanie Lidman, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of misery
Adjective
  • Against the backdrop of a gruesome day, the Hebrew-language movie unfolds individual emotions and lives both before and during the attack, everyday problems of course not stopping with the tragedy, just interacting with it.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026
  • For centuries, this scene has been believed to show Harold’s gruesome end.
    — Alicja Zelazko, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of gruesome
Noun
  • The film fuses horror and crime with Hong Kong spiritual folklore, and is aimed at fans of midnight movies and cult cinema.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
  • There will be relief in France at the interior minister’s decision to ban one type of police grenade, as the injuries suffered by some teenage protesters has sparked widespread horror.
    — Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of horror
Adjective
  • Her inciting incident is eventually bookended in equally shocking fashion.
    — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Continue reading … -- POLITICS LIFE OR DEATH — Conservative group unveils campaign in key state to expose ‘shocking’ Dem platform.
    — , FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of shocking
Noun
  • After decades of repression, Egyptians were shaken by the brutal 2010 torture and killing of Khaled Saeed, a 28-year-old from Alexandria, who the police claimed had died after swallowing a packet of drugs.
    — Abdelrahman ElGendy, Time, 6 Oct. 2026
  • In the Harry Potter books themselves, attempted murder and torture are ok if the Right People do them.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of torture
Adjective
  • Despite the identically horrible records, these teams are in different places.
    — Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 9 Oct. 2026
  • In all, the Dodgers drowned out that horrible tomahawk chop with some mighty hacks of their own, winning 3-1 while finally displaying some of the desperation that had been missing.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of horrible

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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 14 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on nightmare

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about nightmare

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