as in horrors
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nightmares
Another memorable station in my suspicious/contrarian reading life, but minus points for the nightmares.
—
Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
Well, the dearth of new functionality means 25H2 won’t create any compatibility nightmares or require a lengthy install process with multiple restarts.
—Michael Muchmore, PC Magazine, 7 Sep. 2025
When engagement is high, that energy spills outward, fueling better customer service, stronger brand loyalty and even helping companies avoid PR nightmares.
—Alyshia Hull, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2025
While stunningly shot, this is no usual Franz Kafka biopic, with Holland more interested in nightmares than the who, what, when, where and why of a story.
—Marta Balaga, Variety, 7 Sep. 2025
Even the creaky visions that start to plague him, the terrifying nightmares (jump scares ahoy, and so many of them cheap) can’t dissuade Charles from taking up Anniston on the offer.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
His arrival on the report obviously conjures up nightmares for the 49ers from a year ago, when he was surprisingly scratched from their season opener and missed two months with Achilles tendinitis.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 5 Sep. 2025
The teaser trailer ends with a conversation between Gein and his mother (played by Laurie Metcalf) that is the thing of nightmares.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
Meet Kowgirl Kristi—riding into America's nightmares near you.
—Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
Well, the dearth of new functionality means 25H2 won’t create any compatibility nightmares or require a lengthy install process with multiple restarts.
—Michael Muchmore, PC Magazine, 7 Sep. 2025
When engagement is high, that energy spills outward, fueling better customer service, stronger brand loyalty and even helping companies avoid PR nightmares.
—Alyshia Hull, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2025
While stunningly shot, this is no usual Franz Kafka biopic, with Holland more interested in nightmares than the who, what, when, where and why of a story.
—Marta Balaga, Variety, 7 Sep. 2025
Even the creaky visions that start to plague him, the terrifying nightmares (jump scares ahoy, and so many of them cheap) can’t dissuade Charles from taking up Anniston on the offer.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
His arrival on the report obviously conjures up nightmares for the 49ers from a year ago, when he was surprisingly scratched from their season opener and missed two months with Achilles tendinitis.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 5 Sep. 2025
The teaser trailer ends with a conversation between Gein and his mother (played by Laurie Metcalf) that is the thing of nightmares.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
Meet Kowgirl Kristi—riding into America's nightmares near you.
—Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nightmares
Noun
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All Quiet on the Western Front is a visually graphic portrayal of the horrors of war, earning four Academy Awards in 2023 — including Best International Feature Film.—
Jacqueline Weiss,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
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Kelley is chastised and eventually replaced by Gustave Gilbert (Colin Hanks), a rival psychologist with a different take, one that opposes Kelley’s more humanistic approach in defining the horrors of that time.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Task begins by setting up the parallels between Tom and Robbie, two flawed men trying to keep their heads above the water of their own miseries, cutting back and forth between their routines to emphasize their similar ideologies and spontaneities.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
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Rather than taking the newcomers in, Friedrich leads them to some distant caves and trusts that the miseries of island life—extreme heat, torrential rains, pesky insects, vicious dogs—will soon send them packing.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
26 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nightmares.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nightmares. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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