horrendous
adjective
hor·ren·dous hȯ-ˈren-dəs 
hä-,
hə-
: extremely bad or unpleasant : horrible, dreadful
His audition was horrendous.
horrendous crimes
horrendously adverb
Synonyms
- alarming
- dire
- direful
- dread
- dreadful
- fearful
- fearsome
- forbidding
- formidable
- frightening
- frightful
- ghastly
- hair-raising
- horrible
- horrifying
- intimidating
- redoubtable
- scary
- shocking
- spine-chilling
- terrible
- terrifying
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Her taste in clothes is horrendous. a horrendous explosion shook the building
Recent Examples on the Web Gertrude was a second choice, but that would have been admittedly horrendous. 
ELLE, 28 July 2022 Those institutions were often horrendous, many crammed with thousands of patients and terrible care. The Indianapolis Star, 11 Aug. 2022 Halsey is speaking out about the horrendous Tuesday (May 24) mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, that has thus far taken the lives of 19 children and two teachers. Glenn Rowley, Billboard, 25 May 2022 Historians will one day point to the horrendous and failed lockdown policies of the COVID era as one of our society’s worst-ever economic own goals. Jim Vinoski, Forbes, 30 June 2022 For a runner like Liang to lose his life, conditions must have been truly horrendous. Will Ford, Outside Online, 25 May 2021 The pain and struggle with mental health is horrendous. Joseph Goodman | Jgoodman@al.com, al, 9 May 2022 Guyton, however, shares these horrendous posts on her social media platforms to help put a stop to this behavior. Dory Jackson, PEOPLE.com, 15 Apr. 2022 At the sentencing, the judge called Vicki the evil mastermind of a perverse and horrendous crime. Stephanie Nolasco, Fox News, 10 Apr. 2022 See More
ELLE, 28 July 2022 Those institutions were often horrendous, many crammed with thousands of patients and terrible care. The Indianapolis Star, 11 Aug. 2022 Halsey is speaking out about the horrendous Tuesday (May 24) mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, that has thus far taken the lives of 19 children and two teachers. Glenn Rowley, Billboard, 25 May 2022 Historians will one day point to the horrendous and failed lockdown policies of the COVID era as one of our society’s worst-ever economic own goals. Jim Vinoski, Forbes, 30 June 2022 For a runner like Liang to lose his life, conditions must have been truly horrendous. Will Ford, Outside Online, 25 May 2021 The pain and struggle with mental health is horrendous. Joseph Goodman | Jgoodman@al.com, al, 9 May 2022 Guyton, however, shares these horrendous posts on her social media platforms to help put a stop to this behavior. Dory Jackson, PEOPLE.com, 15 Apr. 2022 At the sentencing, the judge called Vicki the evil mastermind of a perverse and horrendous crime. Stephanie Nolasco, Fox News, 10 Apr. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Latin horrendus "inspiring terror or awe, dreadful" (gerundive of horrēre "to be stiffly erect, bristle, shudder, shiver") + -ous — more at horror entry 1
First Known Use
1659, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
horrendous
adjective
hor·ren·dous hȯ-ˈren-dəs
hä-,
hə-
: very bad horrendous traffic horrendous trouble
horrendous
adjective
1
as in horrible
causing fear a horrendous explosion shook the building Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- horrible
- terrifying
- terrible
- frightening
- formidable
- scary
- intimidating
- dreadful
- horrifying
- shocking
- alarming
- ghastly
- dread
- frightful
- fearful
- startling
- gruesome
- eerie
- dire
- trying
- creepy
- fearsome
- forbidding
- troubling
- direful
- eery
- hideous
- disturbing
- spine-chilling
- hair-raising
- redoubtable
- threatening
- unnerving
- appalling
- awful
- discouraging
- daunting
- horrid
- disconcerting
- weird
- atrocious
- demoralizing
- perturbing
- nightmarish
- dismaying
- disquieting
- distressing
- grisly
- monstrous
- macabre
- bone-chilling
- grewsome
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- reassuring
- calming
- comforting
- soothing
- relaxing
- consoling
- tranquilizing
- inviting
- quieting
- tranquillizing
- lulling
- nonthreatening
- nonintimidating
- pacifying
2
as in awful
causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment a horrendous breach of good manners that should not escape censure Synonyms & Similar Words
- horrible
- awful
- disgusting
- ugly
- hideous
- sickening
- dreadful
- shocking
- obscene
- obnoxious
- offensive
- nasty
- appalling
- terrible
- unpleasant
- horrid
- horrific
- abominable
- evil
- gruesome
- gross
- abhorrent
- loathsome
- odious
- revolting
- repulsive
- repugnant
- scandalous
- nauseating
- noxious
- distasteful
- undesirable
- repellent
- foul
- nauseous
- disturbing
- vile
- rancid
- noisome
- fulsome
- monstrous
- horrifying
- miserable
- atrocious
- unwanted
- repellant
- heinous
- hateful
- ghastly
- grim
- objectionable
- despicable
- detestable
- unspeakable
- nightmarish
- disagreeable
- frightful
- grisly
- execrable
- contemptible
- lousy
- unhealthy
- sick
- unwholesome
- unsavory
- ungodly
- exceptionable
- macabre
- barbarous
- hard
- unwelcome
- lurid
- unholy
- brackish
- upsetting
- sickly
- dislikeable
- uncivilized
- dislikable
- distressing
- sickish
- unchristian
- off-putting
- grewsome
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- innocuous
- acceptable
- pleasant
- delightful
- delicious
- desirable
- nice
- sweet
- attractive
- enjoyable
- inoffensive
- heavenly
- alluring
- satisfying
- agreeable
- pleasurable
- appealing
- luscious
- delectable
- gratifying
- dreamy
- welcome
- pleasing
- blessed
- congenial
- felicitous
- darling
- palatable
- likeable
- likable
- savoury
- inviting
- dulcet
- unobjectionable
- unexceptionable
- savory
- blest
- wholesome
- healthy
- salubrious
- salutary
- healthful
- restorative
- delightsome
3
as in horrific
extremely disturbing or repellent emergency room personnel did not flinch even from the most horrendous injuries Synonyms & Similar Words
- horrific
- gruesome
- horrible
- terrible
- shocking
- nightmare
- awful
- dreadful
- horrifying
- hideous
- frightening
- appalling
- terrific
- horrid
- terrifying
- atrocious
- ghastly
- nightmarish
- sickening
- scary
- grisly
- frightful
- monstrous
- disgusting
- macabre
- lurid
- ugly
- alarming
- dire
- obscene
- heinous
- deplorable
- grotesque
- fearful
- intimidating
- abominable
- loathsome
- grewsome
- revolting
- formidable
- abhorrent
- unspeakable
- repulsive
- offensive
- direful
- odious
- nauseating
- repugnant
- obnoxious
- vile
- gut-wrenching
- fearsome
- forbidding
- disagreeable
- evil
- distasteful
- bloodcurdling
- hair-raising
- noxious
- redoubtable
- heart-stopping
- unsightly
- noisome
- foul
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- pleasant
- delightful
- delicious
- attractive
- enjoyable
- satisfying
- pleasurable
- appealing
- agreeable
- welcome
- pleasing
- delectable
- enticing
- inviting
- comforting
- soothing
- cheering
- sticks around
- sticks by
- sticks in one's craw
- sticks out
- sticks out for
- sticks out for something
- sticks to
- sticks to or with
- sticks together
- sticks up
- sticks up for
- sticks with
- stickseed
- stickseeds
- sticktail
- sticktight
- sticktights
- stickum
- stickums
- stickup
- stickup man
- stickups
- stickwater
- stickweed
- stickweeds