nightmarish

adjective

Definition of nightmarishnext
as in gruesome
extremely disturbing or repellent a photographic exhibit of nightmarish images from the wars of the 20th century

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 nightmarish One Night Only is probably trying to be hopeful and sweet in its suggestion that love can make any nightmarish circumstances tolerable. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2026 Directed by Mamoru Oshii, the film is a visionary epic that presents a surprisingly nightmarish vision of the future. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Aug. 2026 The club made the move following a nightmarish stretch in which the three-time All-Star could never seem to get on track. — ABC News, 5 Aug. 2026 But what began as another dazzling night in the orbit of Hollywood’s elite was about to take a nightmarish turn—one that would send shock waves through the entertainment industry, through Los Angeles, and beyond. — Peter Rowe, Air Mail, 1 Aug. 2026 After two nightmarish seasons wrecked by injury, Green Bay Packers running back MarShawn Lloyd is crossing his fingers that the worst is behind him. — Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 That’s a nightmarish output compared to the 87 catches, 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns from his rookie season in 2024, especially as the Jaguars’ offense improved across the board around him. — The Athletic Nfl Staff, New York Times, 20 July 2026 With Boston sealing the sweep on a game-winning single from Jarren Duran, a nightmarish, long weekend at Fenway Park came to a painful end for the Bombers. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 29 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nightmarish
  1. gruesome
  2. horrific
  3. nightmare
  4. shocking
  5. horrible
  6. terrible
  7. frightening
  8. horrifying
Adjective
  • In a two-story warehouse on the back lot, just a few blocks away from the streets of Tumbleton, Mason gives me a tour of his prosthetics operation, which is currently abuzz with workers assembling gruesome wounds and other injuries.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The utter carnage that follows brings major developments for all the main characters still on the chessboard — and many gruesome deaths by dragon fire, boiling oil, spikes and even catapults.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of gruesome
Adjective
  • Gen gets to bust out her flapper dress only to witness the most horrific, awful, potentially career-destroying failure … the caviar, oysters, and bread are all crowded onto the bread plate.
    — Emma Soren, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026
  • In her very first on-screen role, Reeves brings a nuanced, brave, and deeply intuitive performance as the titular character, an eight-year-old San Francisco resident who witnesses a horrific crime and has to deal with the emotional fallout.
    — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of horrific
Adjective
  • This is the nightmare scenario behind the Kessler syndrome, a cascading chain of collisions that could render entire orbital pathways unusable.
    — Alan Bradley, Space.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of nightmare
Adjective
  • Lindsay Hubbard, one of the stars of Bravo’s Summer House, was doing an on-camera interview for a different reality show when shocking news broke that two of her Summer House castmates had gotten together.
    — The Deadline Team, Deadline, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Wells, 39, laid his gloves down in the Octagon after the shocking victory.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of shocking
Adjective
  • After years of seeing enough photos of fabulous wealth and horrible tragedy, these types of images cease to shock us.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026
  • But the horrible jobs data suggests the central bank may have to think about weakening consumer spending as well.
    — Sarah Min, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of horrible
Adjective
  • That Crowley came from behind to win was a testament to Evers’ grit and determination to keep the nomination from Hong, whom Evers said was unlikely to win in November, and to how terrible of a campaigner Hong turned out to be in the home stretch.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Although the Constitution requires congressional involvement in war-making, Trump like Nixon disdained that mandate with terrible consequences.
    — Elizabeth Holtzman, New York Daily News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of terrible
Adjective
  • And what is perhaps most frightening, in those despondent moments that inevitably follow the exhilarating rush, is the realization that this enveloping abyss retains the imprint of our actions.
    — Jan Tumlir, Artforum, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The video quickly sparked a wave of reactions on social media, with many viewers expressing relief that the ride's safety restraints appeared to do their job despite the frightening ordeal.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of frightening
Adjective
  • No franchise on this list is more indebted to a single auteur (Wes Craven) and a single actor (Robert Englund), who turned the saga of Freddy Krueger into something uniquely horrifying.
    — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The byproduct of eating the dessert is a little more horrifying than your typical childhood sugar rush.
    — Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of horrifying

Browse Nearby Words

nightmares
nightmarish
night owl
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Cite this Entry

“Nightmarish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nightmarish. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of nightmarish for Spanish Speakers

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