as in gruesome
extremely disturbing or repellent
a photographic exhibit of nightmarish images from the wars of the 20th century
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Recent Examples of nightmarish
The legendary David Lynch announced himself to the world with this startling, nightmarish debut feature.
—
Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Jan. 2026
This was the nightmarish miracle of the castrato, whose bell-clear tones were immaculately preserved but oddly flavored, like butter buried in a peat bog.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Regardless of the bias in whatever racial or political agenda may be behind this nightmarish remake of Eugene O’Neil’s dark drama of societal miscreants, The Iceman Cometh, the ICE men are making sure their own approval rating melts, while doing damage to both commerce and community safety.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 21 Jan. 2026
The film centers on Malu, whose struggles with unresolved trauma and a difficult child take a nightmarish turn when an inexplicable curse brings toilets to life as murderous creatures, plunging her into a bizarre realm where maternal responsibilities, loss and existential dread intertwine.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 15 Jan. 2026
The complex tapestry of tones provides the perfect canvas for a brutal and nightmarish study of unchecked power.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 13 Jan. 2026
Let’s start this by saying that the two free agent signings, who were attention-grabbing in the worst way, haven’t been outright nightmarish.
—Eric Stephens, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2026
This sci-fi hit helped to redefine the real-time strategy genre, focusing on tactical-level engagements that pitted the mighty space marines against the worst that the nightmarish gothic future of the Warhammer 40K universe had to offer.
—Alan Bradley, Space.com, 5 Jan. 2026
Instead, the director portrays the nightmarish baggage that comes with fighting to achieve victory outside the mainstream.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 25 Dec. 2025
Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Jan. 2026
This was the nightmarish miracle of the castrato, whose bell-clear tones were immaculately preserved but oddly flavored, like butter buried in a peat bog.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Regardless of the bias in whatever racial or political agenda may be behind this nightmarish remake of Eugene O’Neil’s dark drama of societal miscreants, The Iceman Cometh, the ICE men are making sure their own approval rating melts, while doing damage to both commerce and community safety.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 21 Jan. 2026
The film centers on Malu, whose struggles with unresolved trauma and a difficult child take a nightmarish turn when an inexplicable curse brings toilets to life as murderous creatures, plunging her into a bizarre realm where maternal responsibilities, loss and existential dread intertwine.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 15 Jan. 2026
The complex tapestry of tones provides the perfect canvas for a brutal and nightmarish study of unchecked power.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 13 Jan. 2026
Let’s start this by saying that the two free agent signings, who were attention-grabbing in the worst way, haven’t been outright nightmarish.
—Eric Stephens, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2026
This sci-fi hit helped to redefine the real-time strategy genre, focusing on tactical-level engagements that pitted the mighty space marines against the worst that the nightmarish gothic future of the Warhammer 40K universe had to offer.
—Alan Bradley, Space.com, 5 Jan. 2026
Instead, the director portrays the nightmarish baggage that comes with fighting to achieve victory outside the mainstream.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 25 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nightmarish
Adjective
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Throughout the last two days, Ivey centered himself in faith and gratitude — two grounding principles for a player whose career was derailed in January 2025 by a gruesome leg injury.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Feb. 2026
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The 16th century eponymous Danish princess (voiced by Mana Ashida) loses her father, King Amleth (Masachika Ichimura), to a gruesome betrayal.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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With the partial restoration of internet access, people inside the country and others who have left in recent days shared videos and stories with ABC News that shows the horrific nature of the regime's suppression of the protests.—
Somayeh Malekian,
ABC News,
27 Jan. 2026
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Syria’s horrific civil war killed more than 500,000 people over a 14-year period starting in 2011.—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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That alone would be nightmare enough, but this debate has been constructed and is moderated by Sam Reich.—
Nic Juarez,
Vulture,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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As buried family secrets and small-town lies emerge, Courtney must decide who to trust before a shocking revelation changes everything.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
31 Jan. 2026
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Louisiana State Police announced on Saturday the capture of all eight inmates who escaped early Friday in a shocking East Carroll Parish jailbreak.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The killing and execution of Renee Good and Alex Pretti and the horrible lies perpetuated by this government are abhorrent.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Jan. 2026
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Someone should start talking about improving the state’s horrible inability to attract fellow Americans.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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America just passed the 50th anniversary of one of its truly terrible days — one that future historians can track as the beginning of the end of our democracy.—
Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 Feb. 2026
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Busch was terrible defensively at third.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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But that depiction was picked apart by a vast array of online onlookers, from law enforcement experts to ordinary Instagram users, some of whom replayed the videos frame by frame and zoomed in to show the episode in frightening detail.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
25 Jan. 2026
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The news this week that CPW employees are facing a variety of threats from radical elements in both groups of Coloradans strikes us as ironic sad — and frightening.—
The Denver Post Editorial Board,
Denver Post,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The Nazi regime was horrifying to them and to all our family.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
2 Feb. 2026
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But the art of Violette and his cohort tapped into a deeper disillusionment, the kind of corrosive cynicism that pervades a culture in which any sense of possibility for a non-horrifying future has been foreclosed.—
Rachel Wetzler,
Artforum,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nightmarish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nightmarish. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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