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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nightmare
Neil Vora, Time, 22 May 2026
Bridges had nightmares about that coffin.
—Literary Hub, 21 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
Ebola, which is currently spreading in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), is a nightmare disease.
—Neil Vora, Time, 22 May 2026
Bridges had nightmares about that coffin.
—Literary Hub, 21 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
-
There’s a roughly 50-50 shot at survival, and the unlucky half will die in agony, bleeding profusely as their organs begin to fail.—
Neil Vora,
Time,
22 May 2026
-
The blowout loss would’ve been enough agony, but there were injuries to match the insult.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
19 May 2026
Adjective
-
And also, the way that the wish is impacting Bear is ultimately horrific.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
18 May 2026
-
But a new era of DEI was ushered in after the horrific murder of George Floyd.—
Janice Gassam Asare,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
The parallels between Ines’ dilemma and that of a nation being asked to lick its wounds in silence — in the name of moving on from past miseries — are present but elusive.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
14 May 2026
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There are fun bad teams, or teams that at least make a unique bonding experience out of their specific type of misery.—
Hanif Abdurraqib,
New Yorker,
12 May 2026
Adjective
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The teens recorded their attack Monday and the gruesome 10 minute video was widely shared to a website where people post videos depicting extreme violence.—
Anna Schecter,
CBS News,
20 May 2026
-
Similarly economical and granularly detailed is a 20-minute sequence in the middle of the film that’s gruesome, comical and crucial to the propulsion of the story.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
That film generated some moody power before collapsing into a pile of surrealist-horror shards.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
20 May 2026
-
The convention has become a longtime gathering place for horror fans and industry artists alike, celebrating everything from classic creature features to modern special effects in filmmaking.—
Charlie Vargas,
Oc Register,
19 May 2026
Adjective
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As shocking as this slush fund is, it should best be understood as one more test for what the administration can get away with.—
The Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
23 May 2026
-
Slaten endured a shocking meltdown, allowing a pair of two-run home runs that put the Twins ahead in Boston’s eventual 8-6 loss.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
23 May 2026
Noun
-
Think Medieval torture chamber for animals.—
Krista Kafer,
Denver Post,
18 May 2026
-
The activists accused Israeli forces of torture, which Israel denied.—
Suzan Fraser,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
The concept that menopause is this horrible phase of life goes back some time.—
Torie Bosch,
STAT,
23 May 2026
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Despite Christophe’s many efforts to escape his origins, Clichy never portrays his home front as a horrible place, but rather as a loving household torn apart by financial worry and alcoholism.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
22 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nightmare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nightmare. Accessed 26 May. 2026.
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