horror

noun

ˈhȯr-ər How to pronounce horror (audio)
Definition of horrornext
1
as in dreadfulness
the quality of inspiring intense dread or dismay it's difficult to even begin to comprehend the horror of the Holocaust

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2
as in nightmare
a situation or state that causes great suffering and unhappiness had never experienced the horrors of war

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3
as in mess
something unpleasant to look at are you really going to hang that horror on the wall?

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4
as in fear
the emotion experienced in the presence or threat of danger imagine my horror at finding myself face to face with a lion on the loose

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5
as in disgust
a dislike so strong as to cause stomach upset or queasiness cat lover or no, she regards cleaning the litter box with horror

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of horror But while Cartman and Ike are in Sephora, they get enticed into going into the backrooms with an employee, which look straight out of Kane Parsons’ horror film. — Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026 Some online have pledged to never ride a roller coaster again, too fearful of the unimaginable horror of falling out. — Taylor Croft, AJC.com, 14 Oct. 2026 Brad Caleb Kane’s eight-episode first season does invite a little sympathy for the devil, a la Mike Flanagan, but not to the same genre-tilting degree as the showrunner of our latest horror prequel. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 13 Oct. 2026 Goth is best known for her work on Ti West’s horror trilogy X, starring as the lead in X (2022), Pearl (2022), and MaXXXine (2024). — Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for horror
Recent Examples of Synonyms for horror
  1. atrocity
  2. nightmare
  3. mess
  4. fear
  5. disgust
  6. awfulness
  7. agony
  8. fright
Noun
  • The Monitor's View This year’s award went to a South African jurist who not only reshaped international law but also says her inspiration came from survivors of atrocities who never gave up their dignity.
    — the Monitor's Editorial Board, Christian Science Monitor, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Many of the Russian journalists working in Ukraine at the start of the war, where atrocities wage on, now have criminal cases against them.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of atrocity
Noun
  • After the raid, his daughter struggled with recurring nightmares, the lawsuit said.
    — Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Recurring nightmares Juana Rodriguez attended the festival with her three-year-old son.
    — Philip Wang, Time, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of nightmare
Noun
  • But the mess took a turn when the Guardians announced a slight change in the tickets for the game.
    — Ryan Morik OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The entirety of the toppings tumble off the dog with the first bite, but the mess is worth it.
    — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of mess
Noun
  • The White House decision has heightened fears that Ukraine could be left exposed to Moscow's escalating attacks as winter approaches.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
  • That a self-image forged in the crucible of the fear of being ugly makes women amputate their talents?
    — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of fear
Noun
  • Washington lined up in a bid to spike the ball but the clock ticked down to zero, and coach Dan Quinn ripped off his headset in disgust.
    — CBS New York Team, CBS News, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Amateur humiliation content has become widespread on the internet, giving Americans more opportunities than ever to indulge in gleeful disgust or righteous outrage.
    — Daniel LaChance, The Conversation, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of disgust
Noun
  • In a world so full of dread and awfulness, why not take a moment to read anonymous petty literary gossip on the internet?
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Apr. 2026
  • The relative excitement around the Rockies having arrived in San Diego at 6-6 is a reaction based on their relative awfulness.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2026
Definition of awfulness
Noun
  • The minutes had passed so quickly for the rest of the world, but for the families waiting to learn whether their children were alive, the abrupt end of the gunfire wasn’t the end of their agony.
    — Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The daughters of burning witches were sometimes made to stand close to the pyre, being whipped by locals while watching their mothers die in agony.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of agony
Noun
  • But not everyone wants to be up close and personal the with the IRL frights of a haunted house or spooky corn maze.
    — Ayesha Rascoe, NPR, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Hunt for Ghosts If fright-seeing is more your style, Amelia’s Galena Ghost Tours and several other businesses lead spooky visits to pubs, cemeteries, and other public spaces after dark.
    — Julia Sayers Gokhale, Midwest Living, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of fright

Browse Nearby Words

horrifying
horror
horrors
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Cite this Entry

“Horror.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horror. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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