as in agony
a situation or state that causes great suffering and unhappiness
that 20-page exam was a nightmare
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in horrific
extremely disturbing or repellent
survivors of a nuclear holocaust would surely face a nightmare existence
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nightmare
Kathleen Ferraro, SELF, 4 June 2025
The visceral energy of the anger of this guy in a clown suit is the stuff of nightmares.
—Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2025
In a text to Combs at the time, Mia shared the details of the nightmare, where she was trapped in an elevator with R. Kelly — until Diddy came to her rescue.
—Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 3 June 2025
Saving him and others is their work Pratt & Whitney union votes to approve new contract, end strike
Private equity created a ‘nightmare’ in CT hospitals, staff say.
—Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for nightmare
Noun
For me, the focus was often on the memories behind my nightmares, insomnia, and flashbacks.
—Kathleen Ferraro, SELF, 4 June 2025
The visceral energy of the anger of this guy in a clown suit is the stuff of nightmares.
—Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2025
In a text to Combs at the time, Mia shared the details of the nightmare, where she was trapped in an elevator with R. Kelly — until Diddy came to her rescue.
—Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 3 June 2025
Saving him and others is their work Pratt & Whitney union votes to approve new contract, end strike
Private equity created a ‘nightmare’ in CT hospitals, staff say.
—Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for nightmare
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nightmare
Noun
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And that gave him some kind of legitimacy after 40 years of agony, derided by the music press.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
11 June 2025
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For more than a year, the Perry family waited in agony for answers.—
Christina Coulter,
People.com,
7 June 2025
Adjective
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This is what Qasem Hassan had feared from the start—that the horrific violence inflicted on Israelis on October 7th would be used to justify a war without limits, dehumanizing all Palestinians.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
9 June 2025
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That this horrific upheaval comes care of Lucy’s work is the real kicker.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
9 June 2025
Noun
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In a season full of misery and a historic number of losses, there was plenty of reason to celebrate Colorado’s first walk-off win.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
12 June 2025
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Greta’s missed opportunity to understand the deep roots of this misery is another lesson lost to the world.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
11 June 2025
Adjective
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Six decades later, Hamas would engage in a gruesome competition with Fatah to outdo one another with terrorist attacks during the 1990s and early 2000s.—
Sean Durns,
The Washington Examiner,
6 June 2025
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But Trump and Epstein’s association has been out in the open for nearly a quarter century; nineties-era footage of the gruesome twosome together at Mar-a-Lago, leering at a group of young cheerleaders, has been circulating since at least 2019.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
6 June 2025
Noun
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In December, the official 28 Years trailer earned the second most views in the first 24 hours after its release of any horror movie trailer ever, behind only the trailer for 2019’s It Chapter Two.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
16 June 2025
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In the illuminated texts of the medieval and early Renaissance periods, artists decided to rachet up the horrors of Agrippina’s matricide.—
Diana Arterian
June 16,
Literary Hub,
16 June 2025
Adjective
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But then what looked like a tap-in par on the long par-three eighth turned into a shocking miss.—
Doug Ferguson,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2025
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When Burns bogeyed the par-3 16th, missing an eight-foot par putt that seemed shocking for a player whose play on the greens had been incredible all week, Spaun saved par with a clutch second shot that put him five feet from the cup.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
14 June 2025
Noun
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Playing in a driving rain, each man was facing off against the punishing course, their talented peers and the elements as the rain and wind turned Oakmont into a US Open torture chamber.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
15 June 2025
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Today's monkey torture videos are the products of a digitally connected world.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
14 June 2025
Adjective
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Even with the horrible start the Red Sox still nearly came all the way back, twice drawing to within one run, but the club couldn’t get over the hump.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
3 June 2025
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Even on a horrible team, someone has to score, get rebounds and assists.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
2 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nightmare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nightmare. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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