horrifying


Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

hor·ri·fy

 (hôr′ə-fī′, hŏr′-)
tr.v. hor·ri·fied, hor·ri·fy·ing, hor·ri·fies
1. To cause to feel horror: The citizens were horrified by the bombings. The guest was horrified at the rudeness of what he had said.
2. To cause unpleasant surprise to; shock: "I ... passed a mirror ... & was horrified at the shabbiness of my hat" (Margaret Suckley).

[Latin horrificāre, from horrificus, horrific; see horrific.]

hor′ri·fi·ca′tion (-fĭ-kā′shən) n.
hor′ri·fy′ing·ly adv.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

horrifying

(ˈhɒrɪˌfaɪɪŋ)
adj
1. causing feelings of horror in; awful; terrifying;
2. dismaying or greatly shocking; dreadful
ˈhorriˌfyingly adv
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

horrible

horridhorrifichorrifyinghorrendous
1. describing unpleasant events or experiences

All of these words except horrid can be used to describe a very unpleasant and shocking event, experience, or story.

Still the horrible shrieking came out of his mouth.
It was one of the most horrific experiences of my life.
...the horrifying descriptions of life in the trenches.
...the horrendous murder of a prostitute.
2. expressing dislike

In conversation, people use horrible and horrid to show their dislike for someone or something. These words can be used to describe almost anything which is unpleasant, ugly, disgusting, or depressing.

The hotel was horrible.
His suit was a horrible colour.
We had to live in a horrid little flat.
3. for emphasis

Horrible is also used in front of a noun to emphasize how bad something is. For example, you can say 'I've made a horrible mistake'.

Everything's in a horrible muddle.

Horrendous is usually used to describe something which is extremely difficult to deal with.

...horrendous problems.
The cost can be horrendous.
Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Adj.1.horrifying - provoking horrorhorrifying - provoking horror; "an atrocious automobile accident"; "a frightful crime of decapitation"; "an alarming, even horrifying, picture"; "war is beyond all words horrible"- Winston Churchill; "an ugly wound"
alarming - frightening because of an awareness of danger
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
مُرْعِبمُفْزِع، مُرْعِب
děsivý
chokerendeforfærdendegruopvækkende
kauhistuttava
užasavajući
skelfilegur
ぞっとさせる
무서운
skräckinjagande
ที่ทำให้ขยะแขยง
kinh hoàng

horrifying

[ˈhɒrɪfaɪɪŋ] ADJhorroroso, horripilante
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

horrifying

[ˈhɒrɪfaɪɪŋ] adjhorrifiant(e)
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

horrifying

adjschrecklich, fürchterlich, entsetzlich; mutilationgrauenhaft; crashentsetzlich
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

horrifying

[ˈhɒrɪˌfaɪɪŋ] adjterrificante
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

horror

(ˈhorə) noun
1. great fear or dislike. She has a horror of spiders; She looked at me in horror.
2. a disagreeable person or thing. Her little boy is an absolute horror.
ˈhorrible adjective
1. causing horror; dreadful. a horrible sight.
2. unpleasant. What a horrible day!
ˈhorribleness noun
ˈhorribly adverb
ˈhorrid (-rid) adjective
1. unpleasant. That was a horrid thing to say.
2. dreadful. a horrid shriek.
horrific (həˈrifik) adjective
terrible; terrifying. a horrific accident; a horrific journey.
ˈhorrify (-fai) verb
to shock greatly. Mrs Smith was horrified to find that her son had a tattooed chest.
ˈhorrifying adjective
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

horrifying

مُرْعِب děsivý gruopvækkende furchtbar τρομακτικός horripilante kauhistuttava terrifiant užasavajući impressionante ぞっとさせる 무서운 verschrikkelijk sjokkerende przerażający horripilante вселяющий ужас skräckinjagande ที่ทำให้ขยะแขยง dehşet verici kinh hoàng 毛骨悚然的
Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
References in periodicals archive ?
Drug addiction is a serious menace and one of the most horrifying evils for any nation or country, since it destroy the precious lives of our juveniles who are the bright future, and the fundamental pillar of the country's progression.
Ron Constable, joint secretary of the Aberdeen branch of the EIS teaching union, said the statistics collected from members during a recent survey were "frankly horrifying" as they showed teachers and assistants coming under increasing strain.
The death toll from horrifying shootings at two mosques in New Zealand rose to 50, police said Sunday, as Christchurch residents flocked to memorial sites and churches across the city to lay flowers and mourn the victims.
A PAIR of robbers who laughed after squirting corrosive cleaning fluid at two women have been jailed for 10 years for the 'horrifying, cruel and barbaric' attacks.
All of the recipes comprising Ali Vega's Mummy Dogs and Other Horrifying Snacks" provide step-by-step 'kid friendly' instructions on how to create a variety of snack foods that are both repulsive and tasty ranging from dripping zombie skin, to booger sticks, and to bulging cake eyeballs.
Seeing Ahlem, Kissinger later acknowledged, was 'one of the most horrifying experiences of my life.'"
To kill them by kicking them to death is too horrifying for words.
New Delhi, Aug.5 ( ANI ): National Commission for Women (NCW) member Shamina Shafiq has called the sexual harassment incident involving a Gwalior additional judge as horrifying.
That someone could be capable of such gruesome actions, it's horrifying.
To have children exposed to such dangers is equally horrifying. Please make sure the next time there is a cornhusking competition that children are provided with eye protection!