spine-chilling

adjective

spine-chill·​ing ˈspīn-ˌchi-liŋ How to pronounce spine-chilling (audio)
Synonyms of spine-chillingnext
: alarmingly or eerily frightening

Synonyms of spine-chilling

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of spine-chilling in a Sentence

the soldiers let out a spine-chilling yell just before charging the enemy
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
And a sequel has already been announced with Kirsten Dunst joining the spine-chilling story. — Janey Wetzel, PEOPLE, 30 June 2026 Neither is well-received, which Dippold says is its own brand of spine-chilling nightmare. — Hunter Ingram, Variety, 27 May 2026 Eloise Asylum in Westland is part history, part entertainment and all spine-chilling. — Nour Rahal, Freep.com, 8 Oct. 2025 Historic Hotel Broadalbin, about 170 miles north, is another spine-chilling setting in the foothills of the Adirondacks. — Jamie Spain, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for spine-chilling

Word History

First Known Use

1946, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of spine-chilling was in 1946

Rhymes for spine-chilling

See All Rhymes for spine-chilling

Browse Nearby Words

spine cell
spine-chilling
spined
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spine-chilling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spine-chilling. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All