as in terrifying
causing fear
the soldiers let out a spine-chilling yell just before charging the enemy
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Recent Examples of spine-chilling
Eloise Asylum in Westland is part history, part entertainment and all spine-chilling.
—
Nour Rahal, Freep.com, 8 Oct. 2025
Experience spine-chilling thrills in Scare Zones and the all-new maze Order of the Dragon.
—Caroline Ritzie, Cincinnati Enquirer, 28 Sep. 2025
Set in a fictional town wrapped in mystery and spine-chilling traditions, Mandala Murders is a blend of mythology and crime thriller genres.
—Sweta Kaushal, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
In the three years since the war started, locals have gotten used to the spine-chilling sound of the sirens and mostly ignore it.
—IEEE Spectrum, 18 May 2025
But rather than dilute the scare factor, the humor makes the sense of doom only more pitiless and Orlok’s plans for Ellen more spine-chilling.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Dec. 2024
This complex dress featured a mannequin-like attachment on the back, making for the ultimate spine-chilling moment.
—Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 25 Jan. 2024
Her phrasing and breath control of the most difficult passages seemed effortless, and her high notes were spine-chilling.
—Christian Hertzog, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 July 2023
Nour Rahal, Freep.com, 8 Oct. 2025
Experience spine-chilling thrills in Scare Zones and the all-new maze Order of the Dragon.
—Caroline Ritzie, Cincinnati Enquirer, 28 Sep. 2025
Set in a fictional town wrapped in mystery and spine-chilling traditions, Mandala Murders is a blend of mythology and crime thriller genres.
—Sweta Kaushal, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
In the three years since the war started, locals have gotten used to the spine-chilling sound of the sirens and mostly ignore it.
—IEEE Spectrum, 18 May 2025
But rather than dilute the scare factor, the humor makes the sense of doom only more pitiless and Orlok’s plans for Ellen more spine-chilling.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Dec. 2024
This complex dress featured a mannequin-like attachment on the back, making for the ultimate spine-chilling moment.
—Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 25 Jan. 2024
Her phrasing and breath control of the most difficult passages seemed effortless, and her high notes were spine-chilling.
—Christian Hertzog, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 July 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spine-chilling
Adjective
-
The tech is terrifying, but it’s treated matter-of-factly, played for barked laughs.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
-
Michael Johnston and Inde Navarrette star as the main couple, Bear and Nikki, who fall victim to the One Wish Willow, a wish-granting toy with terrifying results.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
16 May 2026
Adjective
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Eidinger is perfect for the role, and his escalating temper tantrums — almost camp at first, with delicious echoes of Christoph Waltz’s Hans Landa — become frightening in their intensity.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
18 May 2026
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But at Medley Club, residents never lost power during the entire frightening ordeal.—
Jeffrey Steele,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Adjective
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Part of what makes Nikki so scary is that these intense moments seem to come out of nowhere.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
18 May 2026
-
Two friends from Auburn and Berkeley were meeting halfway for a picnic in Sacramento but said even driving there in the strong wind was scary.—
Kayla Moeller,
CBS News,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
Rossellini plays the formidable Madame de Noailles, an old-school aristocrat devoted to Marie Antoinette and haunted by a lost love.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
15 May 2026
-
Vegas will remain formidable because of its eternal win-now mandate.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
Which is horrible, just that amount of women being murdered.—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
17 May 2026
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Hmmm, a book about climate change, economic hardship, labor shortages, rising food prices, and a family having a horrible time?—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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Residents describe ‘a terrible night’ More than 30 people were injured in the apartment building collapse, while emergency workers rescued 28 residents, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said.—
Samya Kullab,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
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And some were not kind to him on social media following the terrible first round.—
Dan Zaksheske OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spine-chilling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spine-chilling. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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