Horror — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun adjective /ˈhȯr-ər/ hor·ror

Meaning & Definition of Horror

Horror (noun)

  1. painful and intense fear, dread, or dismay
  2. intense aversion or repugnance
  3. the quality of inspiring horror, repulsive, horrible, or dismal quality or character

Horror (adjective)

  1. calculated to inspire feelings of dread or horror

Horror (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the quality of inspiring intense dread or dismay

    "it's difficult to even begin to comprehend the horror of the Holocaust"

    similar: atrociousness, atrocity, awfulness, dreadfulness, frightfulness, ghastliness, grisliness, gruesomeness, hideousness, horridness, monstrosity, repulsiveness
    related: badness, baseness, depravedness, depravity, diabolicalness, evil, evilness, foulness, heinousness, immorality, iniquitousness, iniquity, invidiousness, sinfulness, ungodliness, viciousness, vileness, wickedness, accursedness, cursedness, deplorableness, despicableness, detestableness, execrableness, hatefulness, loathsomeness, reprehensibleness, creepiness, eeriness, fearfulness, fearsomeness, ghostliness, ghoulishness, scariness, agony, anguish, hellishness, misery, torment, torture
    near: agreeableness, delightfulness, pleasantness, pleasurableness, allurement, appeal, attraction, attractiveness, desirability, desirableness

  2. a situation or state that causes great suffering and unhappiness

    "had never experienced the horrors of war"

    similar: agony, Gehenna, hell, misery, murder, nightmare, torment, torture
    related: affliction, calvary, cross, curse, ordeal, trial, tribulation, calamity, misfortune, tragedy, gall, thorn, bummer, downer, drag
    opposite: heaven, paradise
    near: delight, diversion, entertainment, fun, joy, pleasure, recreation, lark, picnic, riot

  3. something unpleasant to look at

    "are you really going to hang that horror on the wall?"

    similar: eyesore, fright, hideosity, mess, monstrosity, sight
    related: eye-catcher, blot, smear, smudge, spot, stain
    near: vision

  4. 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"

    similar: alarm, anxiety, dread, fear, fearfulness, fright, panic, scare, terror, trepidation
    related: phobia, creeps, jitters, nervousness, willies, pang, qualm, twinge, agitation, apprehension, consternation, discomposure, disquiet, funk, perturbation, concern, dismay, worry, cowardice, faintheartedness, timidity, timorousness
    near: aplomb, assurance, boldness, confidence, self-assurance, self-confidence, bravery, courage, courageousness, daring, dauntlessness, doughtiness, fearlessness, fortitude, gallantry, hardihood, intrepidity, intrepidness, stoutness, valor, audacity, guts, nerve

  5. a dislike so strong as to cause stomach upset or queasiness

    "cat lover or no, she regards cleaning the litter box with horror"

    similar: aversion, disgust, distaste, loathing, nausea, repugnance, repulsion, revulsion
    related: abhorrence, abomination, antipathy, execration, hate, hatred, allergy, averseness, disapproval, disfavor, disinclination, dislike, disliking, displeasure
    near: appetite, bent, fancy, favor, fondness, like, liking, love, partiality, penchant, predilection, preference, propensity, relish, shine, taste, use

Related Entry: Horror-struck (adjective)

Horror-struck is a different word from Horror. The synonyms below are for horror-struck, not for horror.

  1. filled with fear or dread

    "horror-struck, the villagers watched helplessly as the tsunami hit the shore"

    similar: affrighted, afraid, aghast, alarmed, fearful, frightened, horrified, hysterical, scared, scary, shocked, spooked, terrified, terrorized
    related: chicken, fainthearted, fearsome, shrinking, shy, timid, timorous, tremulant, tremulous, agitated, anxious, apprehensive, disconcerted, disquieted, disturbed, funky, jittery, jumpy, nervous, panicked, panicky, panic-stricken, perturbed, skittish, uneasy, upset, worried, phobic, appalled, dismayed, startled, cowed, daunted, intimidated, unnerved, coward, cowardly, craven, gutless, lily-livered, pusillanimous, careful, cautious, heedful, prudent, unadventurous, wary
    opposite: fearless, unafraid
    near: adventuresome, adventurous, audacious, bold, daredevil, daring, dashing, gutsy, plucky, spirited, spunky, venturesome, venturous, brave, courageous, gallant, hardy, heroic, intrepid, lionhearted, manful, stalwart, stout, stouthearted, valiant, valorous, assured, collected, composed, confident, cool, sanguine, sure, unperturbed, dauntless, resolute, undaunted

Related Entry: Horror show (noun)

Horror show is a different word from Horror. The synonyms below are for horror show, not for horror.

  1. as in pain, sticky wicket

    similar: bear, beast, chore, headache, killer, labor, murder, pain, sticky wicket, stinker (slang), brainteaser, poser, stumper, toughie, bother, nuisance, trouble
    opposite: breeze, cake, cakewalk, child's play, cinch, cream puff, duck soup, kid stuff, picnic, pushover, roses, snap, no-brainer, nothing, sitting duck

Related Entry: Horror shows (noun)

Horror shows is a different word from Horror. The synonyms below are for horror shows, not for horror.

  1. as in pains, sticky wickets

    similar: bears, beasts, chores, headaches, killers, labors, murders, pains, sticky wickets, stinkers (slang), brainteasers, posers, stumpers, toughies, bothers, nuisances, troubles
    opposite: breezes, cakes, cakewalks, child's play, cinches, cream puffs, duck soup, kid stuff, picnics, pushovers, roses, snaps, no-brainers, sitting ducks

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Horror

The most common words with a similar meaning to Horror:

atrociousness, atrocity, awfulness, dreadfulness, frightfulness, ghastliness, grisliness, gruesomeness, hideousness, horridness, monstrosity, repulsiveness, agony, Gehenna, hell, misery, murder, nightmare, torment, torture, eyesore, fright, hideosity, mess, sight, alarm, anxiety, dread, fear, fearfulness, panic, scare, terror, trepidation, aversion, disgust, distaste, loathing, nausea, repugnance

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Horror

Words with the opposite meaning of Horror:

heaven, paradise

Related Words for Horror

badness, baseness, depravedness, depravity, diabolicalness, evil, evilness, foulness, heinousness, immorality, iniquitousness, iniquity, invidiousness, sinfulness, ungodliness, viciousness, vileness, wickedness, accursedness, cursedness, deplorableness, despicableness, detestableness, execrableness, hatefulness, loathsomeness, reprehensibleness, creepiness, eeriness, fearsomeness

Near Antonyms of Horror

agreeableness, delightfulness, pleasantness, pleasurableness, allurement, appeal, attraction, attractiveness, desirability, desirableness, delight, diversion, entertainment, fun, joy, pleasure, recreation, lark, picnic, riot, vision, aplomb, assurance, boldness, confidence, self-assurance, self-confidence, bravery, courage, courageousness

Origin & Etymology of Horror

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"

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Horror

Words & Phrases Containing Horror

horror show, horror story, horror-struck, horror of horrors, have a horror of, shock horror, to someone's horror

Frequently Asked Questions about Horror

What does "Horror" mean?

"Horror" means painful and intense fear, dread, or dismay. As an a noun and an adjective, it is defined as: painful and intense fear, dread, or dismay. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Horror"?

Other words for "Horror" include atrociousness, atrocity, awfulness, dreadfulness, frightfulness, ghastliness, grisliness and gruesomeness. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Horror" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Horror"?

There are 134 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Horror". Common alternatives include atrociousness, atrocity, awfulness, dreadfulness, frightfulness, ghastliness, grisliness, gruesomeness, hideousness and horridness.

What is the opposite of "Horror"?

Antonyms of "Horror" include heaven and paradise. Near antonyms include agreeableness, delightfulness, pleasantness and pleasurableness.

How do you use "Horror" in a sentence?

Examples of "Horror" in a sentence: "it's difficult to even begin to comprehend the horror of the Holocaust"; "had never experienced the horrors of war"; "are you really going to hang that horror on the wall?".

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

"Horror" can be used as a noun and an adjective, depending on the context.

Is "Horror" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B1-level word, "Horror" is typical of Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET), IELTS band 4.0–5.0, TOEFL iBT 42–71, PTE Academic 43–58, TOEIC Listening & Reading 550+.

How do you pronounce "Horror"?

"Horror" is pronounced /ˈhȯr-ər/ and divided into syllables as hor·ror.