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
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Recent Examples of horror
This time, John (Gerard Butler), Allison (Morena Baccarin), and their teen son, Nathan (Roman Griffin Davis), flee their protective bunker for brighter horizons amid atmospheric horrors and a hail of fiery meteors.
—
Jeff Spry, Space.com, 9 Jan. 2026
Advertisement While most Iranians are too young to remember these horrors firsthand, a substantial proportion—those over 50—lived through them.
—Bobby Ghosh, Time, 9 Jan. 2026
Their eyes telling tales of horrors no one should ever see.
—Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026
In pre-internet 1987, Conor and his dog Sandy live a life of seclusion, lost in the slow-rendering graphics of early Macs and televisions aglow with late night horror movie marathons.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for horror
Recent Examples of Synonyms for horror
Noun
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In the ‘Groundhog Day’-esque nightmare that never ends, the ‘urgent’ and ‘engaged’ Boston Red Sox are up a creek without a paddle, vessel, and excuse, having lost out on a top – and very sign-able – free-agent target once again.—
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This artistic decision shifts the focus from the battlefield to the psychological and bureaucratic nightmare faced by those desperately trying to orchestrate a rescue from hundreds of miles away.—
Noun
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Rather than letting those items pile up in a cluttered mess, opt for a compact organizer with enough storage to hold all the essentials.—
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And what a distraction from the mess he’s created!—
Noun
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A lot of people get drawn into the fear, distracted by the thoughts in their head.—
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Many immigrant customers haven’t returned, while five of his former employees, despite having working papers, left Charlotte permanently out of fear.—
Noun
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Even people in her party were looking at her with disgust.—
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Archie vented his disgust in a rich lexicon of racial and ethnic slurs new to prime-time dialogue.—
Noun
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These satellite images from late October appearing to show bodies in the streets and bloodstains on the ground, gruesome signs of the atrocities visible from space.—
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Raymond’s team has been tracking atrocities in Sudan using satellite imagery from NASA and commercial sources.—
Noun
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The dramatic arc of the film’s first half — filled with the ecstasy of God’s embrace and the agony of imprisonment — is told through musical numbers, adapted from the Shakers’ ecstatic worship, dance, hymns, and music (watch the video above to learn more).—
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One year before Ingri and Edgar Parin D’Aulaire published their compendium of Greek myths, Cicellis released her second work of fiction, The Way to Colonos, which ruthlessly dramatizes the limits of individual freedom and the agony of facing one’s powerlessness.—
Noun
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Knott’s has unveiled its annual Seasons of Fun calendar that includes events dedicated to Peanuts characters, Boysenberry treats, summertime barbecues, Halloween frights and Christmas cheer.—
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Though Heitor is claimed to be no more harmful than a puppy, there are some moments of fright for Griff who is a little uneasy acting opposite him and at one point panics and tosses him overboard, resulting in Heitor’s gruesome demise.—
Noun
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Somehow, this new sensation emitted an awareness of the magnitude in which skateboarding would warp my life, which only ratcheted up the anxiety of blowing it.—
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The news this week that an ICE agent had shot and killed a woman in Minnesota heightened his anxiety.—
Cite this Entry
“Horror.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horror. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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