as in to frighten
to strike with fear
the old black-and-white psychological thriller still horrifies audiences
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Recent Examples of horrify
In Hartford, Nettie Parker and two friends said they were horrified by immigrants disappearing off the streets.
—
Emilia Otte, Hartford Courant, 5 Apr. 2025
Fierce and determined, and then uncertain and horrified by the toll this vital work takes on her personal life, Knightley is at her masterful, understated best.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 26 Mar. 2025
This concept horrified critics like William Empson, who saw it as depicting a cosmos ruled by an irrational deity whose rage toward humanity can be placated only by his son’s torture and death.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2025
In November 2022, the brutal murders of four University of Idaho students horrified residents of Moscow, a quiet college town that hadn't reported a murder in five years.
—Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for horrify
Emilia Otte, Hartford Courant, 5 Apr. 2025
Fierce and determined, and then uncertain and horrified by the toll this vital work takes on her personal life, Knightley is at her masterful, understated best.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 26 Mar. 2025
This concept horrified critics like William Empson, who saw it as depicting a cosmos ruled by an irrational deity whose rage toward humanity can be placated only by his son’s torture and death.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2025
In November 2022, the brutal murders of four University of Idaho students horrified residents of Moscow, a quiet college town that hadn't reported a murder in five years.
—Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for horrify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for horrify
Verb
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Two years ago, several small-business owners testified to a legislative committee that Americans with Disabilities Act plaintiffs’ lawyers filed spurious complaints, alleging what appeared to be a random list of violations in an attempt to frighten and intimidate the business owner.—
Mark Hillman,
Denver Post,
16 Apr. 2025
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This has hallmarks of emotional abuse – non-physical behaviors meant to isolate, control and frighten.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The house that the Americans strategically position themselves in is home to two families; there are occasional insert shots of family photos and trinkets, and at several points these families are shown cowering, terrified by what’s happening around them.—
Paul A. Thompson,
Pitchfork,
17 Apr. 2025
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Addie is gripping onto her seat completely terrified.—
Arick Wierson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The Missouri product is a solid route-runner with sure hands, but there are some off-field concerns that could scare teams away.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Apr. 2025
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As the Trump administration arbitrarily revokes and denies student visas, and xenophobic rhetoric scares away potential foreigners, agencies specializing in recruiting students from abroad are facing a sharp downturn.—
Emma Whitford,
Forbes.com,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
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That aural reminder punctuates my days now, and frequently startles me.—
Rob Mank,
Christian Science Monitor,
2 Apr. 2025
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But the website also has messages about residents being startled, as Catanzaro was, by stealthy contractors with air guns.—
Bill Kearney,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Horrify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horrify. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
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