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
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 Her other credits include action flick War (with Jet Li and Jason Statham) and horror movie Storm Warning. —
Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 18 Apr. 2026 By the end, the movie takes on the hallucinatory feel of an existential horror film, less about where anyone is going than what keeps them moving at all. —Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026 Her stunning 2025 debut, Waiting Room, interrogated horror and discomfort through probing and foreboding synthesizer drones and crackling bass; on Carve, she’s not done with her demons yet. —Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 17 Apr. 2026 Demi Moore, who had just come off a seriously stylish awards season campaign for The Substance and who had spoken about all things beauty, aging and self-confidence as part of her promotion for the film, which looked at those topics through a comedic horror lens. —Nancy Mattia, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for horror
Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 18 Apr. 2026 By the end, the movie takes on the hallucinatory feel of an existential horror film, less about where anyone is going than what keeps them moving at all. —Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026 Her stunning 2025 debut, Waiting Room, interrogated horror and discomfort through probing and foreboding synthesizer drones and crackling bass; on Carve, she’s not done with her demons yet. —Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 17 Apr. 2026 Demi Moore, who had just come off a seriously stylish awards season campaign for The Substance and who had spoken about all things beauty, aging and self-confidence as part of her promotion for the film, which looked at those topics through a comedic horror lens. —Nancy Mattia, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for horror
Recent Examples of Synonyms for horror
Noun
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Eight years later, the broken family is shocked when she is returned to them, as what should be a joyful reunion turns into a living nightmare.— Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 17 Apr. 2026
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Two days in, their romantic getaway became a nightmare.— Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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That mess led to sacrifice flies by Christian Walker and Cam Smith, giving Houston a 2-0 lead.— Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 16 Apr. 2026
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There is no way Swalwell could have represented his constituents, much less run for higher office, while mired in this mess.— Michelle Cottle, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Gábor Polyák, a professor of media law at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, said many in the capital were hearing stories of elderly people in small villages who, since Magyar’s victory, were living in fear.— Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 19 Apr. 2026
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Among the victims were two boys, ages 12 and 14, whose deaths have rattled their community in Northeast Washington and prompted broader fears about an uptick in gun violence that typically unfolds in warmer weather.— Marissa J. Lang, Washington Post, 19 Apr. 2026
Noun
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There was a claim that [producer] James Wan walked out of a test screening [in disgust].— Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 20 Apr. 2026
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When Darius Garland casually jogged into an uncontested 15-foot midrange jumper, Steve Kerr called timeout in disgust.— Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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While many right-wing politicos take issue with Fuentes’ most polarizing positions, such as skepticism about the atrocities committed during the Holocaust, highly influential conservatives including Tucker Carlson have taken an interest in at least some of his views.— Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 20 Apr. 2026
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The counterargument is that the world is filled with so many visible atrocities right now that a make-believe movie poster seems like the least of our problems.— Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 20 Apr. 2026
Noun
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This type of agony is always a detriment to mental health, even more so when someone is already predisposed to instability.— Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 17 Apr. 2026
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Her story became the focus of almost every main news outlet around the country, and people watched in agony for two days as rescuers attempted to save the toddler.— Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 14 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The 1390 Super Duke RR is leaner and better appointed for handling than the regular Super Duke R, and is sure to give your insurer a proper fright.— New Atlas, New Atlas, 16 Apr. 2026
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Dark, eerie, and paranoid (for good reason), the eight-episode season shifts back and forth from the casual grimness of an unwelcoming reality to the shocking frights of a stoner’s worst nightmare (the latter of which is shrewdly motivated by Rachel regularly smoking pot).— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Mergen said recruitment to the DOJ had become harder over his decades there, as government shutdowns created anxiety about working at the department, and as nonprofits became more competitive in their salaries.— Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2026
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Where academic pressures run high, so does the money and the parental anxiety.— Catherine Thorbecke, Boston Herald, 18 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Horror.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/horror. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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