1
as in terrifying
causing fear
hair-raising stories of headless corpses and disembodied screams
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in breathtaking
causing great emotional or mental stimulation
a theme park that is legendary for its lightning-fast roller-coaster and other hair-raising rides
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 hair-raising
Oh, there are plenty of opportunity for that: Feliz says the season only gets more hair-raising from here.
—
Lynette Rice, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2024
The reason this seems hair-raising is that most generative AI is devised to wait for the human to initiate a conversation.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024
Among them were experienced mountaineers accustomed to steep terrain where any fall could be fatal, and casual hikers who had never before attempted to climb anything as hair-raising.
—Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2024
The players’ recounted exploits are at once hair-raising, nostalgic and moving.
—Drew Goins, Washington Post, 31 July 2024
But Schlosser’s gifts as a storyteller lend his book a visceral quality, such that every successive accident or close call feels more hair-raising than the last.
—Gregory D. Koblentz, Foreign Affairs, 6 Dec. 2013
Formula 1: On and Off the Track Still a Thrill: Monaco’s narrow track hinders overtaking, but, oh boy, do those tight roads make qualifying hair-raising.
—Ian Parkes, New York Times, 23 May 2024
The going was beautiful but slow and a little hair-raising as day turned to night.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2024
The drive had been hair-raising (though nothing compared to a later jaunt on Hiva Oa, where Gauguin is buried, during which our guide Heimata played a ukulele while skirting the edge of a cliff and steering with his knee).
—Peter Heller, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Jan. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hair-raising
Adjective
-
Back in August, Renner spoke about how his terrifying snowplow accident in January 2023 led to his daughter becoming a little more independent.—
-
The terrifying predicament happened Sunday, March 23, in a wooded area off Interstate 10 in LaPlace, the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office said in a March 26 news release.—
Adjective
-
The chef’s kitchen is just as impressive, decked out with a stone pizza oven, high-end appliances, and dramatic picture windows that showcase the breathtaking city-to-ocean views.—
-
Beneath the breathtaking view of the Camelback and Mummy Mountains, Taylor and Hooker exchanged both handwritten and traditional vows.—
Adjective
-
Good news California began trying to police ghost guns after those frightening findings came out, enacting legislation in both 2022 and 2023 to curtail their unregulated sales.—
-
But the bloodshed that unfolded March 6-10 in Latakia and Tartous represents a frightening escalation.—
Adjective
-
However, for tech-minded shoppers, the sale’s most exciting deals probably involve Apple products.—
-
The Knight of Wands is an exciting, adventurous energy to carry you through the month.—
Adjective
-
In the great-power competition with the United States’ adversaries, none is more formidable than the Chinese Communist Party.—
-
Tyler Glasnow is formidable on the mound when healthy.—
Adjective
-
McAfee said, referring to the freshman center’s game-winning shot that sent the Terps to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2016 with a thrilling 72-71 victory over Colorado State on Sunday night in Seattle.—
-
From the rage rap to the 2010s trap, Carti served up a ranging platter showcasing his artistic repertoire across the thrilling 76-minute project.—
Adjective
-
Kwong grew up hearing stories of every kind about Manzanar—scary, sad, funny and infuriating.—
-
The Athletic’s Steve Madeley has produced a slightly scary overview of the 16 months before the next World Cup starts.—
Adjective
-
None of these stories have culminated into anything particularly interesting despite the season nearing its final episode.—
-
Along with literary value, purposes instructors noted in choosing specific books included capturing particular moments in history, providing fodder for interesting class discussions and self-exploration, and simply being interesting and entertaining reading for students.—
Cite this Entry
“Hair-raising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hair-raising. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share