1
as in terrifying
causing fear
hair-raising stories of headless corpses and disembodied screams
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in breathtaking
causing great emotional or mental stimulation
a theme park that is legendary for its lightning-fast roller-coaster and other hair-raising rides
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 hair-raising
Still that does not mean the exercise won’t be hair-raising for the crew of Artemis II.
—
Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 29 Jan. 2026
His own pharmaceutical quest is nothing short of hair-raising.
—Jerome Groopman, New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2025
Then into motorboats for hair-raising dashes through tortuous canals and across rough water to dams far back in some vast marsh.
—Nash Buckingham, Outdoor Life, 19 June 2025
The term hair-raising takes on new meaning as two performers contort their bodies high above the stage, connected only by their coiffures.
—Karen D'souza, Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2025
Led by vocalist Christina Michelle’s hair-raising screams, Deep Sage mangles everything in its path with thick basslines and switchblade guitars until the floor is bloodied but the air, at long last, is cleansed.
—Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 4 Dec. 2024
Oh, there are plenty of opportunity for that: Feliz says the season only gets more hair-raising from here.
—Lynette Rice, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2024
The reason this seems hair-raising is that most generative AI is devised to wait for the human to initiate a conversation.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024
The drive had been hair-raising (though nothing compared to a later jaunt on Hiva Oa, where Gauguin is buried, during which our guide Heimata played a ukulele while skirting the edge of a cliff and steering with his knee).
—Peter Heller, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Jan. 2024
Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 29 Jan. 2026
His own pharmaceutical quest is nothing short of hair-raising.
—Jerome Groopman, New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2025
Then into motorboats for hair-raising dashes through tortuous canals and across rough water to dams far back in some vast marsh.
—Nash Buckingham, Outdoor Life, 19 June 2025
The term hair-raising takes on new meaning as two performers contort their bodies high above the stage, connected only by their coiffures.
—Karen D'souza, Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2025
Led by vocalist Christina Michelle’s hair-raising screams, Deep Sage mangles everything in its path with thick basslines and switchblade guitars until the floor is bloodied but the air, at long last, is cleansed.
—Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 4 Dec. 2024
Oh, there are plenty of opportunity for that: Feliz says the season only gets more hair-raising from here.
—Lynette Rice, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2024
The reason this seems hair-raising is that most generative AI is devised to wait for the human to initiate a conversation.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024
The drive had been hair-raising (though nothing compared to a later jaunt on Hiva Oa, where Gauguin is buried, during which our guide Heimata played a ukulele while skirting the edge of a cliff and steering with his knee).
—Peter Heller, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Jan. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hair-raising
Adjective
-
For Orlo Vista residents, the disaster unfolded with terrifying speed.—
Greg Bennett,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 May 2026
-
Nicholls opened Rockwater not long after Cyclone Pam, a terrifying storm that churned through Vanuatu and inflicted $600 million in damage.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2026
Adjective
-
On the Rocky Mountaineer, travelers enjoy breathtaking landscapes through the Rocky Mountains on two or three-day trips.—
Patricia Doherty,
Travel + Leisure,
24 May 2026
-
The 150-mile coastal highway in western Victoria is matched in its breathtaking views perhaps only by California’s Pacific Coast Highway.—
Damian Fallon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 May 2026
Adjective
-
Nate was a compelling, complex antagonist for Euphoria’s first two seasons, but this season has seen the man brutalized by frightening criminals who make his mind games look like child’s play.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2026
-
But that only made things slightly less frightening.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 May 2026
Adjective
-
This new goal provides you with an exciting opportunity to spend your retirement savings in a way that feeds your values.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 May 2026
-
Based on exciting flashes in his 2024 season, Woods was trending toward becoming a top-five pick, which was my opinion and shared by many around the NFL.—
Dane Brugler,
New York Times,
26 May 2026
Adjective
-
The reigning Super Bowl MVP was brought aboard as the Chiefs look to reestablish a formidable, dangerous run game.—
Pete Sweeney
May 22,
Kansas City Star,
22 May 2026
-
Pitt nabbed the iconic part, which Clooney wasn't thrilled about, but what followed was a formidable friendship that has continued on- and off-screen.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
22 May 2026
Adjective
-
But the best story of all was Maryanne, and watching this delightful goofball evolve into a cutthroat champion was truly thrilling, lifting Survivor 42 into the mid-twenties.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 May 2026
-
That means 350,000 spectators will be in their seats, or in the infield to witness one of the most thrilling spectacles in all of sport, and a celebration of humanity as the cold days of winter are over and summer is about to begin.—
Bruce Martin,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2026
Adjective
-
That’s precisely Dumont’s intention — freedom is fun and scary — but the choice is sure to raise eyebrows among critics of the director, who has historically been called out for his work with nonprofessional actors.—
Beatrice Loayza,
Variety,
25 May 2026
-
There’s no better time to swap scary stories than when the wind is howling and candles are flickering.—
Orlando Sentinel Staff,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 May 2026
Adjective
-
News broadcasts recap island events, adding an interesting soap-opera layer.—
Jason Bennett,
Arkansas Online,
24 May 2026
-
Welcome to Taste Test, where every week our critic Jonah Flicker explores the most buzzworthy and interesting whiskeys in the world.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
24 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hair-raising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hair-raising. Accessed 28 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
