horror
1 of 2noun
hor·ror ˈhȯr-ər 
ˈhär-
1
a
: painful and intense fear, dread, or dismay
astonishment giving place to horror on the faces of the people about me
H. G. Wells
H. G. Wells b
: intense aversion or repugnance
2
a
: the quality of inspiring horror : repulsive, horrible, or dismal quality or character
contemplating the horror of their lives Liam O'Flaherty
Liam O'Flaherty b
: something that inspires horror
3
horrors plural : a state of extreme depression or apprehension
horror
2 of 2adjective
: calculated to inspire feelings of dread or horror
a horror movie
Synonyms
Noun
- atrociousness
- atrocity
- awfulness
- dreadfulness
- frightfulness
- ghastliness
- grisliness
- gruesomeness
- hideousness
- horridness
- monstrosity
- repulsiveness
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun There was a look of horror on her face. The crowd watched in horror as the fire spread. His friends were shocked by the horror of his death. His crimes were unspeakable horrors. His memoirs recount the horrors of the war.
Recent Examples on the Web John Defore, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Sep. 2022 New this year is a Slasher Night Oct. 31 featuring a tribute to horror icons. Annie Alleman, Chicago Tribune, 12 Sep. 2022 These horror comedies will put you in the Halloween spirit without scaring you too much. Kelly O'sullivan, Country Living, 12 Sep. 2022 In his aesthetic perfection and tangible horror, the falling man portrayed in the infamous September, 11th 2001 photograph is the image that better encapsulates the tragedy of that day, which has come to represent a real watershed moment in history. Vogue, 12 Sep. 2022 Moviegoers checked in for director Zach Cregger's rental horror mystery Barbarian, which had a killer debut at the box office this weekend. Jessica Wang, EW.com, 11 Sep. 2022 Ironically, the structure and twists of the movie, which have already captivated horror fans on social media and Reddit, almost kept the production from being greenlit. William Earl, Variety, 10 Sep. 2022 The influential horror author and Stephen King collaborator died this week at 79. Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2022 Netflix has taken an HGTV approach to its next horror series with a virtual tour of the $3 million house on 657 Boulevard, otherwise known as the home stalked by The Watcher. Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2022 Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 6 June 2022 Mórbido describes itself as a communications platform, a generator of own, independent and commercial content, all related to the fantastic and horror genre in pop-culture, technology and entertainment. John Hopewell, Variety, 22 May 2022 The Vigil is a much better horror picture and is currently on Hulu), offering at least something amid a gun-shy industry qualifies as an act of charity. Scott Mendelson, Forbes, 14 May 2022 The new film and series projects span a wide array of genres, ranging from thrillers, action, dramas, comedies and romances to supernatural and horror titles for a YA audience, as well as biographies, true-crime and investigative docudramas. Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Apr. 2022 The box office recovery is still being driven largely by young people, particularly young men, which doesn’t inspire much confidence that non-superhero, non-horror and non-video game action franchises will do much business in cinemas anytime soon. Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2022 To understand how crucial the flexibility of audio in Dead by Daylight is, consider how horror films use sound in a linear format. Nina Corcoran, Wired, 30 Oct. 2021 Candyman from Nia DaCosta and Last Night in Soho from Edgar Wright will test the waters of audiences’ eagerness to pay to see specifically horror films on the big screen. Eliana Dockterman, Time, 28 June 2021 As a breezy, 100-minute collection of puzzles and jump scares, the first film was a surprise hit, the kind of low-stakes entertainment even non–horror fans can enjoy. Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 5 June 2021 See More
Noun
The men seem to have had some years to digest that horror, settling into the routine of keeping their bunker clean and functional. John Defore, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Sep. 2022 New this year is a Slasher Night Oct. 31 featuring a tribute to horror icons. Annie Alleman, Chicago Tribune, 12 Sep. 2022 These horror comedies will put you in the Halloween spirit without scaring you too much. Kelly O'sullivan, Country Living, 12 Sep. 2022 In his aesthetic perfection and tangible horror, the falling man portrayed in the infamous September, 11th 2001 photograph is the image that better encapsulates the tragedy of that day, which has come to represent a real watershed moment in history. Vogue, 12 Sep. 2022 Moviegoers checked in for director Zach Cregger's rental horror mystery Barbarian, which had a killer debut at the box office this weekend. Jessica Wang, EW.com, 11 Sep. 2022 Ironically, the structure and twists of the movie, which have already captivated horror fans on social media and Reddit, almost kept the production from being greenlit. William Earl, Variety, 10 Sep. 2022 The influential horror author and Stephen King collaborator died this week at 79. Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2022 Netflix has taken an HGTV approach to its next horror series with a virtual tour of the $3 million house on 657 Boulevard, otherwise known as the home stalked by The Watcher. Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2022 Adjective
From the creators of Dark, an intriguing period mystery/horror German series called 1899. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 6 June 2022 Mórbido describes itself as a communications platform, a generator of own, independent and commercial content, all related to the fantastic and horror genre in pop-culture, technology and entertainment. John Hopewell, Variety, 22 May 2022 The Vigil is a much better horror picture and is currently on Hulu), offering at least something amid a gun-shy industry qualifies as an act of charity. Scott Mendelson, Forbes, 14 May 2022 The new film and series projects span a wide array of genres, ranging from thrillers, action, dramas, comedies and romances to supernatural and horror titles for a YA audience, as well as biographies, true-crime and investigative docudramas. Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Apr. 2022 The box office recovery is still being driven largely by young people, particularly young men, which doesn’t inspire much confidence that non-superhero, non-horror and non-video game action franchises will do much business in cinemas anytime soon. Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2022 To understand how crucial the flexibility of audio in Dead by Daylight is, consider how horror films use sound in a linear format. Nina Corcoran, Wired, 30 Oct. 2021 Candyman from Nia DaCosta and Last Night in Soho from Edgar Wright will test the waters of audiences’ eagerness to pay to see specifically horror films on the big screen. Eliana Dockterman, Time, 28 June 2021 As a breezy, 100-minute collection of puzzles and jump scares, the first film was a surprise hit, the kind of low-stakes entertainment even non–horror fans can enjoy. Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 5 June 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English orrour, horrour, borrowed from Anglo-French horrour, horrur, borrowed from Latin horrōr-, horror "standing stiffly, bristling (of hair), shivering (from cold or fear), dread, consternation," derivative with the abstract noun suffix -ōr- (going back to *-ōs-) from the base of horrēre "to be stiffly erect, bristle (of hair, weapons, plants), shudder, shiver," going back to Indo-European *ǵhors-éi̯e-, iterative derivative of a stem *ǵhers- "bristle, become stiff," whence also Sanskrit hṛṣyati "(it) stands on end (of hair, from fear or joy), (s/he) rejoices"
Note: According to Lexikon der indogermanischen Verben (2. Auflage, Wiesbaden, 2001) this base has fallen together with another base, *g(w)hers- "rejoice," in Vedic, and the outcomes are no longer completely distinguishable; the Lexikon attributes to the latter base Vedic hárṣate "rejoices, is excited," ghṛ́ṣuḥ, ghṛ́ṣvih "lively, wanton," as well as Parthian gš- "be cheerful," Sogdian w-γš- "rejoice." Michiel de Vaan (Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the Other Italic Languages, Brill, 2008) posits a single base and assumes for ghṛ́ṣuḥ, ghṛ́ṣvih loss of palatal quality in zero grade. Earlier etymological dictionaries, as Pokorny, connect with *ǵhers- and an unextended form *ǵher- a wide variety of nominal forms (cf. gorse, orgeat, hirsute, urchin).
Adjective
from attributive use of horror entry 1
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Adjective
1936, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing horror
Kids Definition
horror
noun
hor·ror ˈhȯr-ər
1
: great fear, dread, or shock
All the children stared in horror at Pippi, and the teacher explained that one couldn't answer that way at school. Astrid Lindgren, Pippi Longstocking
Astrid Lindgren, Pippi Longstocking2
: a quality or thing that causes horror
They witnessed the horror of war.
Medical Definition
horror
noun
hor·ror ˈhȯr-ər, ˈhär-
: painful and intense fear, dread, or dismay
horror
noun
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- dreadfulness
- atrocity
- gruesomeness
- ghastliness
- awfulness
- frightfulness
- horridness
- grisliness
- repulsiveness
- hideousness
- fearfulness
- agony
- badness
- anguish
- atrociousness
- misery
- torture
- evil
- vileness
- sinfulness
- heinousness
- ghoulishness
- scariness
- evilness
- loathsomeness
- baseness
- viciousness
- wickedness
- foulness
- depravity
- monstrosity
- eeriness
- immorality
- creepiness
- ghostliness
- torment
- invidiousness
- ungodliness
- hatefulness
- fearsomeness
- cursedness
- hellishness
- iniquity
- despicableness
- depravedness
- diabolicalness
- iniquitousness
- accursedness
- execrableness
- reprehensibleness
- detestableness
- deplorableness
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- pleasantness
- attraction
- delightfulness
- appeal
- agreeableness
- pleasurableness
- desirability
- attractiveness
- desirableness
- allurement
2
as in nightmare
a situation or state that causes great suffering and unhappiness had never experienced the horrors of war Synonyms & Similar Words
- nightmare
- agony
- misery
- torture
- torment
- murder
- tragedy
- curse
- hell
- ordeal
- misfortune
- calamity
- tribulation
- cross
- Gehenna
- calvary
- trial
- affliction
- thorn
- downer
- gall
- drag
- bummer
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- joy
- pleasure
- heaven
- entertainment
- delight
- recreation
- fun
- diversion
- paradise
- riot
- picnic
- lark
3
as in mess
something unpleasant to look at are you really going to hang that horror on the wall? Synonyms & Similar Words
- mess
- fright
- eyesore
- sight
- hideosity
- monstrosity
- stain
- blot
- smear
- smudge
- eye-catcher
- spot
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- vision
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- fear
- anxiety
- fearfulness
- terror
- dread
- panic
- fright
- trepidation
- scare
- dismay
- worry
- alarm
- concern
- phobia
- alarum
- nervousness
- pang
- consternation
- creeps
- funk
- agitation
- jitters
- apprehension
- twinge
- discomposure
- perturbation
- disquiet
- cowardice
- qualm
- willies
- timidity
- faintheartedness
- timorousness
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- assurance
- boldness
- confidence
- aplomb
- bravery
- fearlessness
- courage
- daring
- fortitude
- dauntlessness
- gallantry
- intrepidness
- intrepidity
- valor
- courageousness
- stoutness
- hardihood
- audacity
- nerve
- self-assurance
- guts
- self-confidence
- doughtiness
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- disgust
- hatred
- revulsion
- nausea
- distaste
- repulsion
- repugnance
- loathing
- disapproval
- hate
- abomination
- abhorrence
- displeasure
- aversion
- antipathy
- allergy
- disliking
- dislike
- execration
- averseness
- disinclination
- disfavor
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- love
- taste
- fondness
- preference
- appetite
- liking
- use
- favor
- propensity
- bent
- predilection
- fancy
- relish
- penchant
- partiality
- like
- shine