1
as in horrific
extremely disturbing or repellent
a horrible car accident that left eyewitnesses in a state of shock
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in terrifying
causing fear
a horrible scream that made shivers go up and down our spines
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in awful
causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment
I can never forgive her for the horrible way she treated me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in terrible
extremely unsatisfactory
I'm never going back to that restaurant; the service was horrible
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in terror
Related Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of horrible
Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2026
Houston has been shockingly horrible in the clutch.
—Zach Harper, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
This is going to be a horrible, terrible, no-good, very bad day.
—Nathan Rott, NPR, 27 Mar. 2026
In another case, a 10-year-old girl contracted horrible lesions on 10 percent of her body — mostly on her legs — after contact with giant hogweed.
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for horrible
Adjective
These are horrible conditions for meaningful dissent.
—Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2026
Houston has been shockingly horrible in the clutch.
—Zach Harper, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
This is going to be a horrible, terrible, no-good, very bad day.
—Nathan Rott, NPR, 27 Mar. 2026
In another case, a 10-year-old girl contracted horrible lesions on 10 percent of her body — mostly on her legs — after contact with giant hogweed.
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for horrible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for horrible
Adjective
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The horrific shooting has rocked the Plainville community, with its reverberations being felt throughout the state.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
30 Mar. 2026
-
A lot of his struggles stemmed from the Raiders’ horrific offensive line.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
What was John thinking before the surface of the water appeared before his windshield, rushing forward at terrifying speed?—
Jeffrey Eugenides,
New Yorker,
4 Apr. 2026
-
As The Boys presents a terrifying dystopia under Homelander (Antony Starr) in the fifth and final season, Eric Kripke recently noted that any narrative similarities to our current dystopia are purely coincidental.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The timing is awful, as Rodon was scheduled to make a rehab start with the Yankees' Double-A affiliate.—
Logan Brown,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The Broncos were awful on the ground.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
This is a terrible blow against reform and the Dems should be ashamed.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Here are five novels that have been tied to terrible crimes.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The most violent and thuggish regime on earth would be free to carry out their campaigns of terror, coercion, conquest, and mass murder from behind a nuclear shield.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
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By 1944, when much of the city lay in ruins, the terror spread.—
The Week US,
TheWeek,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Getting cleared of a gruesome crime has boosted his social cache in his upper-class neighborhood of Westmont Village, a fictional New York suburb.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
3 Apr. 2026
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And in another gruesome moment, there is a frightening shot of dozens of wedding guests covered in blood, with bodies strewn across a banquet hall.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The idea of frightening children into basic courtesy scares Miss Manners.—
Judith Martin,
Sun Sentinel,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Facing the future may mean confronting difficult questions and frightening scenarios.—
Kat McGowan,
NPR,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Living under an openly misogynistic president may have felt freakish in 2017, but by his second term, bigotry became yet another disgusting norm.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The amount of disrespect shown the Broncos is disgusting.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Horrible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horrible. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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