1
as in terrifying
causing fear
couldn't sleep after reading a horrifying tale of evil a horrifying scream brought people running from all directions to see what was wrong
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in gruesome
extremely disturbing or repellent
the horrifying sight of a rat running through the restaurant's kitchen
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in frightening
to strike with fear
the old black-and-white psychological thriller still horrifies audiences
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of horrifying
Bobby Zirkin,
Baltimore Sun,
29 June 2026
Botulism is a horrifying illness, leaving babies without the ability to suck and swallow properly or hold their heads up.
—
Elizabeth Robinson,
NBC news,
24 June 2026
Despite the horrifying circumstances, Kara remained focused on planning her escape.
—
Lynsey Eidell,
PEOPLE,
24 June 2026
Of course, modern readers are going to have to think of these parts of Clark that are great and these parts of Clark that are horrifying.
—
Peter Larsen,
Oc Register,
24 June 2026
Canada’s 6-0 thrashing of Qatar in its second FIFA World Cup match would’ve been perfect on Thursday afternoon if not for an injury to Ismaël Koné that can only be described as horrifying.
—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2026
That gap between horrifying fact and escapist fantasy is what makes Huston’s film so fascinating now.
—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
19 June 2026
Brown moved to Austin in the late 1990s, less than a decade after the horrifying murders.
—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
16 June 2026
Unfortunately, turning that electricity back on meant waking up the horrifying Xenomorph inside.
—
George Yang,
Space.com,
15 June 2026
Alexandra Frost,
USA Today,
24 June 2026
Following her rescue, horrifying details of what happened to Jaycee began to emerge.
—
Lynsey Eidell,
PEOPLE,
10 June 2026
In the years since Boogie Nights, Leo has made an unlikely hit out of The Man in the Iron Mask, then took the role of Patrick Bateman in American Psycho, showing off his range and turning that surreal and often horrifying movie into another $100 million feather in his cap.
—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2026
The visage, created by Universal Studio’s then-lead makeup artist Jack Pierce for the 1931 film, was horrifying enough that its influence endured for almost 100 years.
—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
17 Oct. 2025
No special effects were required to trigger Curry's stark drift from amiability to horrifying emptiness.
—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Oct. 2025
Television cameras captured the ensuing violence, horrifying much of the nation.
—
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
The grisly murder stayed a local story until horrifying CCTV footage of the incident started making the rounds on social media last weekend.
—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
Mainstream Israeli media has increasingly spotlighted the dire starvation crisis in Gaza after months of Israel’s near-total aid blockade, horrifying some Israelis and triggering protests.
—
Kristina Karisch,
The Hill,
18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
The democratic socialist obsession with the world’s only Jewish state is horrifying.
—
Bobby Zirkin,
Baltimore Sun,
29 June 2026
Botulism is a horrifying illness, leaving babies without the ability to suck and swallow properly or hold their heads up.
—
Elizabeth Robinson,
NBC news,
24 June 2026
Despite the horrifying circumstances, Kara remained focused on planning her escape.
—
Lynsey Eidell,
PEOPLE,
24 June 2026
Of course, modern readers are going to have to think of these parts of Clark that are great and these parts of Clark that are horrifying.
—
Peter Larsen,
Oc Register,
24 June 2026
Canada’s 6-0 thrashing of Qatar in its second FIFA World Cup match would’ve been perfect on Thursday afternoon if not for an injury to Ismaël Koné that can only be described as horrifying.
—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2026
That gap between horrifying fact and escapist fantasy is what makes Huston’s film so fascinating now.
—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
19 June 2026
Brown moved to Austin in the late 1990s, less than a decade after the horrifying murders.
—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
16 June 2026
Unfortunately, turning that electricity back on meant waking up the horrifying Xenomorph inside.
—
George Yang,
Space.com,
15 June 2026
Verb
The complications are horrifying doctors.
—
Alexandra Frost,
USA Today,
24 June 2026
Following her rescue, horrifying details of what happened to Jaycee began to emerge.
—
Lynsey Eidell,
PEOPLE,
10 June 2026
In the years since Boogie Nights, Leo has made an unlikely hit out of The Man in the Iron Mask, then took the role of Patrick Bateman in American Psycho, showing off his range and turning that surreal and often horrifying movie into another $100 million feather in his cap.
—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2026
The visage, created by Universal Studio’s then-lead makeup artist Jack Pierce for the 1931 film, was horrifying enough that its influence endured for almost 100 years.
—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
17 Oct. 2025
No special effects were required to trigger Curry's stark drift from amiability to horrifying emptiness.
—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Oct. 2025
Television cameras captured the ensuing violence, horrifying much of the nation.
—
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
The grisly murder stayed a local story until horrifying CCTV footage of the incident started making the rounds on social media last weekend.
—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
Mainstream Israeli media has increasingly spotlighted the dire starvation crisis in Gaza after months of Israel’s near-total aid blockade, horrifying some Israelis and triggering protests.
—
Kristina Karisch,
The Hill,
18 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for horrifying
Adjective
-
That year, the Potomac River turned violent, as intense, heavy rains pushed the water to a terrifying, near-record flood level of 60,000 cubic feet per second.
-
Just like waiting for the release of the bull, the ride vehicle will pause for three seconds before a terrifying 285-foot drop.
Adjective
-
Chris Brown was found liable by a Los Angeles jury on Tuesday for $13 million in the gruesome case of a dog that mauled and disfigured his housekeeper at his home in 2020.
-
But as the days dragged on, headlines about power outages and water shortages took a back seat to a far more gruesome and horrific reality.
Verb
-
Powell tried to open the stall door, and then began fondling himself, frightening the 11-year-old, who tried to leave, but Powell blocked him from getting out.
-
This war has been a disaster for them, frightening away foreign investors, tourists and talent and burdening them with a future of huge new defense bills to deter Iran after the United States is gone.
Adjective
-
Authorities say the scary situation happened at the end of a ride on May 10.
-
As a child life specialist, Hartz’s job is to make the hospital experience less scary.
Adjective
-
Chicago city officials have never forgotten the lessons of the historic and horrific heat wave of July 1995, which killed 739 people in the Chicago area.
-
Many of these countries are well known for horrific human rights abuses, lack of justice and abysmal detention conditions.
Verb
-
Suddenly the seller is tiptoeing, managing the buyer's mood, terrified of saying the wrong thing and scaring them off.
-
Two earthquakes jolted Venezuela with one-two punch on Wednesday, damaging buildings and scaring people who felt the violent shaking.
Adjective
-
The Red Sox offense has been horrible this season, but Contreras has been everything the club could have hoped for.
-
Your cab driver is taking you on a horrible route.
Adjective
-
Cape Verde began this run by making a statement, producing a shocking 0-0 draw against soccer powerhouse Spain on June 15 in its first-ever World Cup match.
-
The Packers then blew a 21-3 halftime lead in the Wild Card round against Chicago, gave up 25 fourth quarter points and eventually suffered a shocking 31-27 loss to the arch-rival Bears.
Cite this Entry
“Horrifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horrifying. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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