Horrendous — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /hȯ-ˈren-dəs/ hor·ren·dous

Meaning & Definition of Horrendous

Horrendous (adjective)

  1. extremely bad or unpleasant, horrible, dreadful

Horrendous (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. causing fear

    "a horrendous explosion shook the building"

    similar: alarming, dire, direful, dread, dreadful, fearful, fearsome, forbidding, formidable, frightening, frightful, ghastly, hair-raising, horrible, horrifying, intimidating, redoubtable, scary, shocking, spine-chilling, terrible, terrifying
    related: daunting, demoralizing, disconcerting, discouraging, dismaying, disquieting, distressing, disturbing, perturbing, startling, threatening, troubling, trying, unnerving, bone-chilling, creepy, eerie, weird, appalling, atrocious, awful, grisly, gruesome, hideous, horrid, macabre, monstrous, nightmarish
    near: calming, comforting, consoling, inviting, lulling, pacifying, quieting, reassuring, relaxing, soothing, tranquilizing, nonintimidating, nonthreatening

  2. causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment

    "a horrendous breach of good manners that should not escape censure"

    similar: abhorrent, abominable, appalling, awful, disgusting, distasteful, dreadful, evil, foul, fulsome, gross, hideous, horrible, horrid, loathsome, nasty, nauseating, nauseous, noisome, noxious, obnoxious, obscene, odious, offensive, rancid, repellent, repugnant, repulsive, revolting, scandalous, shocking, sickening, ugly
    related: exceptionable, objectionable, brackish, disagreeable, dislikable, unpleasant, contemptible, despicable, detestable, hard, hateful, unhealthy, unsavory, unwholesome, execrable, lousy, miserable, atrocious, frightful, ghastly, grim, grisly, gruesome, heinous, horrific, horrifying, lurid, macabre, monstrous, nightmarish, sick, sickish, sickly, terrible, unspeakable, vile, off-putting, undesirable, unwanted, unwelcome, barbarous, unchristian, uncivilized, ungodly, unholy, distressing, disturbing, upsetting
    opposite: innocuous, inoffensive
    near: acceptable, agreeable, alluring, appealing, attractive, blessed, congenial, darling, delectable, delicious, delightful, delightsome, desirable, dreamy, dulcet, enjoyable, felicitous, gratifying, heavenly, inviting, likable, luscious, nice, palatable, pleasant, pleasing, pleasurable, satisfying, savory, sweet, welcome, unexceptionable, unobjectionable, healthful, healthy, restorative, salubrious, salutary, wholesome

  3. extremely disturbing or repellent

    "emergency room personnel did not flinch even from the most horrendous injuries"

    similar: appalling, atrocious, awful, dreadful, frightful, ghastly, grisly, gruesome, hideous, horrible, horrid, horrific, horrifying, lurid, macabre, monstrous, nightmare, nightmarish, shocking, terrible, terrific
    related: alarming, bloodcurdling, dire, direful, fearful, fearsome, forbidding, formidable, frightening, gut-wrenching, hair-raising, heart-stopping, intimidating, redoubtable, scary, terrifying, abhorrent, deplorable, disagreeable, disgusting, distasteful, loathsome, nauseating, noisome, obnoxious, obscene, offensive, repugnant, repulsive, revolting, sickening, abominable, evil, foul, heinous, noxious, odious, unspeakable, vile, grotesque, ugly, unsightly
    near: agreeable, appealing, attractive, delectable, delicious, delightful, enjoyable, enticing, inviting, pleasant, pleasing, pleasurable, satisfying, welcome, cheering, comforting, soothing

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Horrendous

The most common words with a similar meaning to Horrendous:

alarming, dire, direful, dread, dreadful, fearful, fearsome, forbidding, formidable, frightening, frightful, ghastly, hair-raising, horrible, horrifying, intimidating, redoubtable, scary, shocking, spine-chilling, terrible, terrifying, abhorrent, abominable, appalling, awful, disgusting, distasteful, evil, foul, fulsome, gross, hideous, horrid, loathsome, nasty, nauseating, nauseous, noisome, noxious

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Horrendous

Words with the opposite meaning of Horrendous:

innocuous, inoffensive

Related Words for Horrendous

daunting, demoralizing, disconcerting, discouraging, dismaying, disquieting, distressing, disturbing, perturbing, startling, threatening, troubling, trying, unnerving, bone-chilling, creepy, eerie, weird, exceptionable, objectionable, brackish, disagreeable, dislikable, unpleasant, contemptible, despicable, detestable, hard, hateful, unhealthy

Near Antonyms of Horrendous

calming, comforting, consoling, inviting, lulling, pacifying, quieting, reassuring, relaxing, soothing, tranquilizing, nonintimidating, nonthreatening, acceptable, agreeable, alluring, appealing, attractive, blessed, congenial, darling, delectable, delicious, delightful, delightsome, desirable, dreamy, dulcet, enjoyable, felicitous

Word Forms of Horrendous

Derived words: horrendously (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Horrendous

Latin horrendus "inspiring terror or awe, dreadful" (gerundive of horrēre "to be stiffly erect, bristle, shudder, shiver") + -ous horror:1

First known use: 1659

Frequently Asked Questions about Horrendous

What does "Horrendous" mean?

"Horrendous" means extremely bad or unpleasant, horrible, dreadful. As an adjective, it is defined as: extremely bad or unpleasant, horrible, dreadful. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Horrendous"?

Other words for "Horrendous" include alarming, dire, direful, dread, dreadful, fearful, fearsome and forbidding. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Horrendous" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Horrendous"?

There are 120 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Horrendous". Common alternatives include alarming, dire, direful, dread, dreadful, fearful, fearsome, forbidding, formidable and frightening.

What is the opposite of "Horrendous"?

Antonyms of "Horrendous" include innocuous and inoffensive. Near antonyms include calming, comforting, consoling and inviting.

How do you use "Horrendous" in a sentence?

Examples of "Horrendous" in a sentence: "a horrendous explosion shook the building"; "a horrendous breach of good manners that should not escape censure"; "emergency room personnel did not flinch even from the most horrendous injuries".

Is "Horrendous" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Horrendous" is an adjective.

How do you pronounce "Horrendous"?

"Horrendous" is pronounced /hȯ-ˈren-dəs/ and divided into syllables as hor·ren·dous.

What is the origin of the word "Horrendous"?

"Horrendous" comes from Latin horrendus "inspiring terror or awe, dreadful" (gerundive of horrēre "to be stiffly erect, bristle, shudder, shiver") + -ous horror:1. First known use: 1659.