as in horrific
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
My own reading led me down a narrower and perhaps less nightmarish alley, but one with cautionary implications of its own.
—
Justin Chang, New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2025
These scenarios are both nightmarish and probable.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 26 Oct. 2025
Perplexity’s image features photographs of people with some truly nightmarish distortions on its wall, while the placement of its sink is confusing and distracting.
—PC Magazine, 25 Oct. 2025
Created by the visionary behind the Oscar-winning Pinocchio (2022), this Emmy-winning anthology horror series presents eight visually thrilling, nightmarish tales, ranging from colossal rats to alien parasites.
—Kelsie Gibson, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025
Through twisting corridors and multiple stories, guests encounter terrifying live actors, special effects, and nightmarish monsters.
—Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 23 Oct. 2025
This was always the nightmarish place where the hallucination of deporting 10 million people was going to lead.
—Newsweek Contributors, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
The opening sequence — involving a scared little boy whose fear only accelerates during a nightmarish car ride — is a decent bellwether for the first five episodes (which is all that were screened for critics, of the eight total).
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 22 Oct. 2025
Suffice it to say, not the best decision, considering the three nightmarish days that follow.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025
Justin Chang, New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2025
These scenarios are both nightmarish and probable.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 26 Oct. 2025
Perplexity’s image features photographs of people with some truly nightmarish distortions on its wall, while the placement of its sink is confusing and distracting.
—PC Magazine, 25 Oct. 2025
Created by the visionary behind the Oscar-winning Pinocchio (2022), this Emmy-winning anthology horror series presents eight visually thrilling, nightmarish tales, ranging from colossal rats to alien parasites.
—Kelsie Gibson, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025
Through twisting corridors and multiple stories, guests encounter terrifying live actors, special effects, and nightmarish monsters.
—Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 23 Oct. 2025
This was always the nightmarish place where the hallucination of deporting 10 million people was going to lead.
—Newsweek Contributors, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
The opening sequence — involving a scared little boy whose fear only accelerates during a nightmarish car ride — is a decent bellwether for the first five episodes (which is all that were screened for critics, of the eight total).
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 22 Oct. 2025
Suffice it to say, not the best decision, considering the three nightmarish days that follow.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nightmarish
Adjective
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The tragedy in question is no secret — Chris and Jenny are killed together in a horrific car accident, which inspires all sorts of awful questions — and the fallout is mostly predictable.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
22 Oct. 2025
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How the stakeholders juggled those diametrically opposed ideas—liberty and self-governance but also slavery and their horrific treatment of the Native American population—is the part of the human experience that Burns is most interested in exploring.—
Carlo Versano,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Halloween was significantly more graphic than many of its predecessors, and Zombie said the gruesome violence was a deliberate choice and that it wasn’t supposed to be easy viewing.—
Jessica Sager,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
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The five-minute mash-up rapidly intercuts scenes of happy domesticity (a loving mother, kids in face paint eating popcorn in front of the tube, teens affectionately goofing around) with gruesome murders committed by a beautiful little boy.—
David Wingrave,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
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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However, the final moments of season 5 also saw the shocking death of Cinda Canning (Tina Fey) — or a convincing doppelgänger — outside the Arconia, teasing the mystery Mabel, Charles and Oliver.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
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But the real draw here is Cut's elaborate torture device, which uses piano wire in inventive and shocking ways.—
Katie Rife,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The New York Jets’ Sunday began with a horrible loss, as legendary center Nick Mangold passed away after a long battle with kidney disease.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
26 Oct. 2025
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Šilovs did, however, look horrible in the shootout.—
Josh Yohe,
New York Times,
26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The heiress was involved in a terrible car accident in 1929, which left her with life-long medical issues.—
Maggie Menderski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
26 Oct. 2025
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And keeper Caoimhin Kelleher, once Alisson’s backup with Liverpool, has improved after a terrible start.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Much of the film rests on a razor's edge between funny and frightening, which makes its twists and turns all the more surprising.—
Katie Rife,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Oct. 2025
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In the premiere’s early minutes, a young woman on a mission falls prey to a vampire and his frightening creatures known as revenants, sparking Helen’s decision to bring Guy into the fold.—
Abbey White,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Masked trio threatens homeowners in horrifying video McGuire said investigators received numerous tips after the story garnered national attention, and later contacted one of the suspects, an adult female, who confessed to her role and that of other family members in the case.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
27 Oct. 2025
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Following the game, both Dart and Giants head coach Brian Daboll discussed the horrifying injury during a postgame press conference.—
Anne Erickson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nightmarish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nightmarish. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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