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
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Recent Examples of nightmare
Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 11 Mar. 2026
But soaring mortgage rates — one nightmare scenario — seemed unlikely to those polled, with only 15% of owners expecting rates above 7% in the coming year, compared with 21% of renters.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 11 Mar. 2026
Tom Charron, Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2026
That alone would be nightmare enough, but this debate has been constructed and is moderated by Sam Reich.
—Nic Juarez, Vulture, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nightmare
Noun
Originally performed as part of ‘The Shape of the Night’, a full-length immersive experience exploring the world of dreams and nightmares created by Overlook veteran group All Of Them Witches (AOTW).
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 11 Mar. 2026
But soaring mortgage rates — one nightmare scenario — seemed unlikely to those polled, with only 15% of owners expecting rates above 7% in the coming year, compared with 21% of renters.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
This is the nightmare scenario for California Democrats.
—Tom Charron, Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2026
That alone would be nightmare enough, but this debate has been constructed and is moderated by Sam Reich.
—Nic Juarez, Vulture, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nightmare
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nightmare
Noun
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His injured spine, largely untreated since a wall collapsed on him during an Israeli air raid nine months ago, was still in agony, leaving him incontinent and unable to stand.—
Steve Hendrix,
Washington Post,
11 Mar. 2026
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For the second time in less than three weeks, the Bayern Munich left-back and Canada captain was forced to hobble off the pitch in agony.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Casap may never change after ‘horrific’ crimes First-degree intentional homicide carries a mandatory life sentence.—
Todd Richmond,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
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Mougey and Jets coach Aaron Glenn will enter a critical offseason following a horrific 3-14 record.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Colin Dorgan battled through misery to achieve triumph for his Rhode Island boys high school hockey team on Wednesday night.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
12 Mar. 2026
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The misery inflicted on the thousands of Maryland commuters is merely the stick to drive more people to consider ailing public transportation options.—
Torrey Snow,
Baltimore Sun,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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War isn’t the only thing in the Outlander universe that can deliver a gruesome death.—
Lincee Ray,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Mar. 2026
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The filings also revealed a gruesome new detail about the case and provided some clarity about Burke’s status in the eyes of prosecutors.—
Allison Gordon,
CNN Money,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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No amount of gore or ghastliness is off limits for the series, produced by horror champions Blumhouse, as Nicole Kidman's titular medical examiner pores over the remains of the dead.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
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In ‘Leviticus,’ Adrian Chiarella harnesses horror’s visceral power to confront homophobia with intelligence and imaginative flair, transforming a story of young love under siege into a gripping, urgent debut.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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News was spreading through the gym that Sage Hill had just upset Sierra Canyon 57-54 in Chatsworth in the other Open semifinal — one of the most shocking upsets in state basketball history.—
Steve Galluzzo,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
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The Defense Department’s reliance on Anthropic’s AI came as a shocking realization that ultimately led to their dramatic schism, according to a top Pentagon official.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Not even rising star Ashley Padilla could stand up to this level of torture.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
8 Mar. 2026
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Turns out, as often happens with a case of book banning, a single person had a problem with a single page in a book — in this case, a drawing of the torture of political prisoners.—
Christopher Borrelli,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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After the horrible murder of Rob Reiner and his wife, legions of fans revisited to the director’s films, and this is one of his best.—
Brian Tallerico,
Vulture,
5 Mar. 2026
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But today, the building is in horrible shape.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nightmare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nightmare. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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