horriblehor‧ri‧ble /ˈhɒrəbəl $ ˈhɔː-, ˈhɑː-/ ●●● S2 adjective 
The weather has been really horrible all week. a horrible smell The food looked horrible, but it tasted OK.► see thesaurus at bad2very unpleasant and often frightening, worrying, or upsetting: a horrible dream I have a horrible feeling that we’re going to miss the plane.3rude and unfriendly: She’s a horrible person. What a horrible thing to say!be horrible to somebody Why are you so horrible to me?► see thesaurus at unkind—horribly adverb: Her face was horribly scarred. The plan had gone horribly wrong.THESAURUStaste/smellhorrible very bad and unpleasant: · What’s that horrible smell?· This fish tastes horrible.disgusting/revolting horrible, especially in a way that makes you feel slightly sick: · I had to take two spoons of some disgusting medicine.· The stench in the room was revolting.nasty very unpleasant – often used about a taste that stays in your mouth: · Cheap wine sometimes leaves a nasty taste in your mouth.· the nasty smell of bad eggsnauseating /ˈnɔːzieɪtɪŋ, -si- $ ˈnɒːzi-, -ʃi-/ horrible and making you feel that you are going to vomit – used especially about a smell: · the nauseating smell of stale beer and cigarette smokefoul /faʊl/ horrible – used especially when there is decay or waste: · There was a foul smell coming from the water.· Whatever it was in that cup, it tasted foul.experience, situation, eventhorrible/terrible/awful/dreadful very bad and unpleasant: · For one horrible moment, I thought I was going to fall.· The refugees were living in dreadful conditions.· It must have been a terrible worry for them.· Thousands of people lost their jobs – it was awful.nasty very unpleasant and shocking – used especially about events where people are hurt: · There’s been a nasty accident on the motorway.· a nasty cut· The news came as a nasty shock.
WORD ORIGINhorrible
Origin:
1200-1300 French, Latin horribilis, from horrere; ➔ HORROREXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- a horrible crime
- Danny's such a horrible little brat.
- Her husband was a horrible man - lazy, and always drunk.
- I really don't like her at all - she's horrible!
- I think I'll go out if you're just going to be horrible to me.
- It was really horrible coming home and finding all our things had been stolen.
- She got some horrible kind of stomach flu.
- The pain was horrible.
- There was a horrible moment when she thought she had left all her files on the train.
- This stuff tastes horrible!
- I am absolutely sure the decision to have an abortion for social reasons is a horrible one for these women.
- It's quite a horrible thing when you've worked on something so hard, but you have to go through it.
- It's very cold and horrible down here at the moment.
- Of course, at last a train got him and killed him in a horrible way.
- One is horrible and the other might be the best ever in football.
- This was a horrible, horrible place.
- We told her nothing of our horrible experience.
- You make your players look horrible.
THESAURUStaste/smell
very bad and unpleasant: · What’s that horrible smell?· This fish tastes horrible.
horrible, especially in a way that makes you feel slightly sick: · I had to take two spoons of some disgusting medicine.· The stench in the room was revolting.
very unpleasant – often used about a taste that stays in your mouth: · Cheap wine sometimes leaves a nasty taste in your mouth.· the nasty smell of bad eggs
horrible and making you feel that you are going to vomit – used especially about a smell: · the nauseating smell of stale beer and cigarette smoke
horrible – used especially when there is decay or waste: · There was a foul smell coming from the water.· Whatever it was in that cup, it tasted foul.
experience, situation, event very bad and unpleasant: · For one horrible moment, I thought I was going to fall.· The refugees were living in dreadful conditions.· It must have been a terrible worry for them.· Thousands of people lost their jobs – it was awful.
very unpleasant and shocking – used especially about events where people are hurt: · There’s been a nasty accident on the motorway.· a nasty cut· The news came as a nasty shock.
Longman Language Activatorunpleasant person/behaviour especially British behaving in a very rude, unkind, or annoying way: · Her husband was a horrible man - lazy, and always drunk.· I really don't like her at all - she's horrible!be horrible to somebody: · I think I'll go out if you're just going to be horrible to me.
rude or unfriendly in the way you talk to people or answer their questions: · That man in the grocery store is always so unpleasant.· Did she really say that? What an unpleasant person!be unpleasant to somebody: · You shouldn't have been so unpleasant to her - she was only trying to help.
someone who is nasty has a very unpleasant character and is often unkind to people: · I'd avoid him. if I were you. He can be quite nasty.· My first boss was a really nasty person, who seemed to enjoy making life difficult for everyone.be nasty to/towards somebody: · Some of the older boys were being very nasty to him.
American rude and unkind in the way you treat people: · We soon found out that our new teacher could be real mean.be mean to somebody: · Sharon and the others were really mean to me at school today.
especially spoken unkind or unfriendly - use this especially about things people say to each other: · They just told us to shut up, which wasn't very nice.not very nice of somebody: · It wasn't very nice of him to have a party without inviting me.
rude and offensive, especially deliberately Objectionable is more formal than obnoxious: · I'd hate to be her secretary -- she's so obnoxious.· You're behaving like a spoilt obnoxious child.· I'd never have employed him if I'd realized what an objectionable person he was.· What was most objectionable about her was her arrogance.
informal someone who you dislike because they are unpleasant and behave in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable: · Get out of here you little creep! You make me sick!· He didn't say that, did he? What a creep!
informal someone who is very unpleasant and is likely to behave in a cruel or violent way: · Casey and Wyatt went round in a gang with Don, who was a nasty piece of work.· Why would anyone want to kill Howard, do you think?" "It's obvious. He was a nasty piece of work."
an unpleasant experience a horrible experience or situation is one that makes you feel very worried and upset: · It was really horrible coming home and finding all our things had been stolen.· There was a horrible moment when she thought she had left all her files on the train.
horrible - use this especially about events where there is violence, injury, or death: · There was a nasty accident on the freeway and seven people were killed.· a particularly nasty murder case· The news of his death came as a very nasty shock.
making you feel slightly worried, uncomfortable, or embarrassed: · I had an unpleasant feeling that someone was following me.· Phil and Jane argued the whole time, so it was a pretty unpleasant evening.· Then Nel lost her temper and there was an extremely unpleasant scene in Kenwood's office.
especially spoken unpleasant: · It's not very nice being stuck in an elevator for an hour.· Divorce is not a very nice business.
a very unpleasant or frightening experience: · We were stuck in a traffic jam for about four hours - it was a nightmare.· The couple's honeymoon turned into a nightmare when Martin suddenly became very ill.nightmare day/journey etc : · Thousands of commuters faced a nightmare journey to work because of the strikes.nightmare scenario (=the worst possible situation): · An oil spill on this part of the coast is the conservationists' nightmare scenario.
an unpleasant taste or smell very bad - use this especially to talk about things that taste, smell, or look really bad: · It was the most disgusting meal I've ever eaten.· He smiled showing his teeth, which were a revolting yellow colour.· What a horrible smell!· Dick had cooked a special stew, which looked and smelled revolting.
tasting or smelling horrible: · Undercooked potatoes taste unpleasant and can be harmful.· Some animals give off an unpleasant odor that deters attackers.
a foul smell or taste is extremely bad, and is caused especially by waste or things decaying: · There was a foul smell coming up from the river.
informal very unpleasant - use this to talk about food, smells, or behaviour that you dislike very much: · Ooh, gross! I hate spinach!· Brad threw up on the floor at the party. It was really gross.
British /not very good/not too good spoken a taste or smell that is not very nice or not very good is slightly unpleasant: · This cheese isn't very good. How long have we had it?· The first time I smoked a cigarette it didn't taste very nice.· I wouldn't cook that if I were you. It doesn't smell too good.
tasting or smelling very strong and unpleasant: · I'm not very keen on this wine. It has a nasty aftertaste.· Police were alerted when neighbors complained of a nasty smell coming from the basement.· Cheap perfume often smells nasty after a couple of hours.
a meal or food that is unappetizing has an unpleasant appearance or smell and does not make you want to eat it: · The soup was cold and unappetizing, but it was all there was.· The main course was an unappetizing leg of chicken with boiled potatoes.
an unpleasant sound a sound that is harsh is unpleasant, rough, and usually loud: · Cheap loudspeakers often produce a harsh metallic tone.· "You'll do what I tell you," he said, his voice harsh in her ear.· The wind made a harsh wailing sound in the trees.
a sound that is grating is unpleasant, and is often produced by two rough things rubbing together: · The machine began to spin faster and faster, with the grating screech of metal on metal.· We could hear a group of tourists, talking in loud grating voices.
a sickening sound is very unpleasant and makes you feel physically sick - use this especially about the sound when someone is badly hurt or something is badly damaged: · His head hit the door with a sickening thud.· There was a sickening crash and the sound of broken glass as the two trains collided.
the feeling you have when you think something is very unpleasant · Martia gave him a look of disgust, and walked away.· Disgust at cruel sports has come to be a common feature of British life.in disgust (=feeling disgust) · She held the glass away from her in disgust. "What's this awful stuff you've given me to drink?''
a strong, sudden feeling of shock and disgust: · A little boy had died and, as a mother, I felt horror and revulsion.revulsion at: · Holly was unable to hide her revulsion at what she had just read.revulsion against: · What we are now seeing is a public revulsion against violence in society.a feeling/sense/wave of revulsion: · News of the atrocities produced a wave of anger and revulsion.
feeling shocked and angry at something you think is very wrong, cruel, unpleasant etc: · Ann was disgusted when she saw the dirty hotel room.· Disgusted onlookers claimed that the man was more concerned about his car than the victims of the crash.disgusted at: · Many people are disgusted at the continuing slaughter of dolphins.disgusted by: · He ate noisily and greedily. I tried hard not to be disgusted by his manners.disgusted with: · I was absolutely disgusted with the way our fans behaved.
very shocked and angry at something such as violence or suffering: · Country vets aren't easily sickened, but I felt my stomach turning when I saw the state of the dog.· Sickened detectives said the old lady was lucky to be alive after such a brutal attack.
if you are nauseated by something, it is so unpleasant that it makes you feel physically sick: · The thought of him kissing her made her feel nauseated.· Recognizing the dead woman's face, she turned away, nauseated.
to seem very unpleasant to someone · His habit of sniffing loudly really disgusted her.· The heat, the noise, the smell of the other passengers; everything about the subway disgusted him.· "Get out," she said. "You disgust me!"
if something revolts you, you think it is extremely unpleasant: · I opened the door and was instantly revolted by the smell.· He kissed her full on the lips in a way that revolted her.
if something turns your stomach it makes you feel ill because it is so unpleasant or shocking: · The sight of the dead body turned his stomach.· The strike has meant piles of rotting garbage in the streets. "It's enough to turn your stomach," said one resident.
if something such as violence or suffering sickens you, it makes you feel ill and you wish you could stop it: · The smell of the blood sickened her and she ran out of the room.· "Some of the recent attacks on horses in this area are enough to sicken anyone," a police spokesman said.
bad weather when it is raining, snowing, or very cold: · The game was cancelled because of bad weather.a spell/run of bad weather: · Once this spell of bad weather is over, we can start work on the garden.in bad weather: · At least 20 people died when the aircraft crashed in bad weather.
especially spoken very unpleasant, cold, wet etc: · Awful weather, isn't it?· "What's it like outside?" "Terrible."it is awful/terrible/horrible: · It's been absolutely horrible all day.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY I have a horrible feeling that we’re going to miss the plane. The plan had gone horribly wrong.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
1very bad – used, for example, about things you see, taste, or smell, or about the weather: I have a horrible feeling that we’re going to miss the plane. The plan had gone horribly wrong.· We narrowly avoided a nasty accident.· ‘This was an absolutely horrific accident,’ said an ambulance spokesman.
· It was a really nasty bug.
· The crew of the ship met a terrible fate.
· The smell in the shed was awful.
· The tea tasted horrible.
· A horrible thought struck her: could he be having an affair?
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· I remember it as horrible, with a smell of cold cabbage seeming to come from the upholstery.· Whether Carthage or London, the poem's cities are seen as horrible, life-denying.· They didn't have to be as horrible as the lot that had just left.· Carol As horrible as big George.· She says they're not half as horrible as they look!· The smug mask of virtue triumphant could be almost as horrible as the face of wickedness revealed.
· You don't get them writing albums about how horrible it is being adored!· And, knowing full well how horrible it would be to work a full year in Okinawa, they drank.· She suddenly thought. How horrible!· He waited for somebody to point out how horrible this was.· Anyone who has ever smelt an addled egg will know just how horrible that would be.· I miss the farm, but I could go on for hours about how horrible it was, how brutal it was.· Can't you see how horrible he is?· The only other way over to the mainland is the basket lift and you know how horrible that is.
· It was a more horrible sight than anyone could imagine - a hell-hound sent by the devil.· It was much more horrible than that.· Our fate is to be even more horrible than to be frogmarched out of Downing street.· The dead body had been an ugly thing, but alive, it was much more horrible.
· But it had stopped Lord Woodleigh in the most horrible of ways.· I remember one with the most horrible wound that I ever saw.· One of the most horrible sights I had ever seen.· It was the most horrible that there could be.· And worst and most horrible is the first morning.· She serves up the most horrible brown muck for our meals.· The ground radio blurted out the most horrible crimes.
· I du n no why he did that, but when I heard Marie tell that, I felt really horrible.· It was horrible, really horrible ....· You've been, like, really horrible.
· It was only that she couldn't stay in the house while mummy was being so horrible.· Well, sir, what they saw inside, it just tore their hearts out, it was so horrible.· But it does seem so horrible to me that he will be, with them, near them, at the cottage.· This was a secret she harbored, that she should dare compare her situation to something so horrible.· But being left alone was so horrible too.· Jen got all excited about it because it was so horrible.· He can't complain about people not liking him when he's so horrible to them.· This death comes without pain and is not so horrible.
· It would be too horrible if he was going to be cooped up alone like this every day.· They can not accept the truth, because it is too horrible.· She wanted to cry, but it was too horrible for crying.· It was put away in a dark basement because it was too horrible.· Much of it, Mr Marr said, was just too horrible to tell me.· The city alternative was too horrible to contemplate.
NOUN· Embezzlement paled in comparison with whatever horrible crime Gleeson had committed.· Caraway did say before the trial that she wondered if Simpson could have committed such a horrible crime.· The ground radio blurted out the most horrible crimes.· In the final act Ricardo confronts his son with his horrible crimes.
· Did you get to die a horrible death with giant ants gnawing at your body?· The city's pet-loving Bohemians are obsessed by the horrible death of a woman mauled by a mastiff.· Before the Second World War, wards were filled with patients close to a horrible death from infections of the blood.
· We told her nothing of our horrible experience.· He basically had three horrible experiences planned for him.· It had been a pretty horrible experience but he was very pleased with himself.
· It was a horrible feeling being that far ahead and nursing my lead.· And when I went out yesterday I had this horrible feeling some one was watching me all the time.· After a very short time we all felt a horrible feeling of being watched and an intangible atmosphere of dread and doom.· This morning, I had a horrible feeling that the news might be something to do with me.· And I have a horrible feeling he's taken twenty tapes with him.
· It's quite a horrible thing when you've worked on something so hard, but you have to go through it.· But I have brought myself to do horrible things.· I failed the Eleven-Plus - that horrible thing and that made me feel I wasn't any good.· To me, that is a horrible thing.· It was a horrible thing, a terrible thing, which could have deranged anybody in my opinion.· Why do you have such a horrible thing in such a lovely store?· Dig deep enough into Cud's sordid past and you discover many horrible things.· If Charlie had been there, I would never had said such horrible things to him.
· Dig deep enough into Cud's sordid past and you discover many horrible things.· But I have brought myself to do horrible things.· She was running, that was all - running as if she could run away from all the horrible things that had happened.· If Charlie had been there, I would never had said such horrible things to him.
The weather has been really horrible all week. a horrible smell The food looked horrible, but it tasted OK.► see thesaurus at bad2very unpleasant and often frightening, worrying, or upsetting: a horrible dream I have a horrible feeling that we’re going to miss the plane.3rude and unfriendly: She’s a horrible person. What a horrible thing to say!be horrible to somebody Why are you so horrible to me?► see thesaurus at unkind—horribly adverb: Her face was horribly scarred. The plan had gone horribly wrong.THESAURUStaste/smellhorrible very bad and unpleasant: · What’s that horrible smell?· This fish tastes horrible.disgusting/revolting horrible, especially in a way that makes you feel slightly sick: · I had to take two spoons of some disgusting medicine.· The stench in the room was revolting.nasty very unpleasant – often used about a taste that stays in your mouth: · Cheap wine sometimes leaves a nasty taste in your mouth.· the nasty smell of bad eggsnauseating /ˈnɔːzieɪtɪŋ, -si- $ ˈnɒːzi-, -ʃi-/ horrible and making you feel that you are going to vomit – used especially about a smell: · the nauseating smell of stale beer and cigarette smokefoul /faʊl/ horrible – used especially when there is decay or waste: · There was a foul smell coming from the water.· Whatever it was in that cup, it tasted foul.experience, situation, eventhorrible/terrible/awful/dreadful very bad and unpleasant: · For one horrible moment, I thought I was going to fall.· The refugees were living in dreadful conditions.· It must have been a terrible worry for them.· Thousands of people lost their jobs – it was awful.nasty very unpleasant and shocking – used especially about events where people are hurt: · There’s been a nasty accident on the motorway.· a nasty cut· The news came as a nasty shock.