nightmares

noun

plural of nightmare
as in horrors
a situation or state that causes great suffering and unhappiness that 20-page exam was a nightmare

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 nightmares Facts + Comments A medication derived from cannabis significantly reduced nightmares in patients with PTSD, according to German researchers. — Danielle Chemtob, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026 Now in rehabilitation outside Khartoum, hundreds of former child fighters struggle with physical wounds, nightmares and family rejection as global agencies push Sudan to free and protect these boys. — Sam Mednick, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026 Standard wide-field-of-view AR-HUDs have historically been engineering nightmares. — New Atlas, 30 July 2026 Victims who were injured in the shooting described panic attacks, nightmares and the fear that still follows them into classrooms, neighborhoods and even their own bedrooms. — Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 27 July 2026 At this point, things take a supernatural leap that has already been portended by various visions and nightmares. — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 26 July 2026 The woman said she’s struggled with anxiety and nightmares ever since and has been diagnosed with post- traumatic stress disorder. — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 July 2026 Paramount+ delivered the main full trailer for season 4 on June 15, 2026, and it’s packed with dinosaurs, cowboys, horses, space storms, dreams, nightmares, fire-breathing dragons, haunted spaceships, and hallucinatory pleasure planets. — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 23 July 2026 Finding a new starter there is the 49ers’ task, and if that is all their offensive line must worry about in training camp, then bring on their NFC West nightmares. — Cam Inman, Mercury News, 20 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nightmares
  1. horrors
  2. agonies
  3. tortures
  4. miseries
  5. torments
Noun
  • Most notably, the release of Twain’s 2011 memoir From This Moment On opened the floodgates on the Twain family’s house of horrors.
    — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 31 July 2026
  • As fresh waves of troops continue to be exposed to the horrors of war, Odysseus’ trauma also continues to hit home.
    — Amy S. Badura-Brack, The Conversation, 30 July 2026
Definition of horrors
Noun
  • 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
  • The reticence of Cartland’s heroes belies agonies of loneliness.
    — Simon Perry, PEOPLE, 18 June 2026
Definition of agonies
Noun
  • Tykes get slapped around, shot with arrows and dangled in traffic — tortures that are played seriously, but the shock of them allows you to guffaw.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026
  • But such judgments often come from a place of distance—from people who have never lived under a theocracy that imprisons, tortures, and kills with impunity.
    — Nazanin Boniadi, Time, 11 Mar. 2026
Definition of tortures
Noun
  • Cyclospora, an intestinal parasite, has sickened thousands of people and hospitalized hundreds with explosive diarrhea, painful cramping, or other gastrointestinal miseries.
    — Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The sad thing is that the miseries return, but there is no other Garrincha available.
    — Jack Lang, New York Times, 28 May 2026
Definition of miseries
Noun
  • So too did Trump spiritual advisor Paula White-Cain, who compared the president’s torments to those of Jesus.
    — Pat Beall, Sun Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2026
  • In the face of such grave concerns, Alyoshka’s torments seem self-indulgent and frustrating, but his problem—whether to leave or stay—is far from insignificant.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
Definition of torments

Browse Nearby Words

nightmare
nightmares
nightmarish
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nightmares.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nightmares. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on nightmares

Nglish: Translation of nightmares for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of anecdote

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All