horrific

[ haw-rif-ik, ho- ]

adjective

1. causing horror.

horrific

/ hɒˈrɪfɪk; hə- /

adjective

1. provoking horror; horrible

Derived Forms

• horˈrifically, adverb

Other Words From

• hor·rifi·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of horrific¹

First recorded in 1645–55; from Latin horrificus, equivalent to horri-, combining form of horrēre “to bristle with fear” + -ficus -fic

Example Sentences

This is not unique to my own story but most people of color have horrific stories to tell about how their D&I rep was disconnected from the problems they faced at their firm.

From Digiday

Some of the most innovative, beautiful, and horrific characteristics of plants and animals have also been shaped by arms races in nature.

From Nautilus

Nine days later, Belarus is besieged by a horrific level of violence, including more than 6,000 arrests and at least two confirmed deaths.

From Ozy

In 1991, he drove into the capital with two female colleagues and discovered that Iraqi troops had committed myriad horrific crimes.

From Ozy

The costs of such quick herd immunity, however, would be horrific.

From Science News For Students

In its presence--jolting, sudden, horrific—the monster is the monster of grief.

From The Daily Beast

We love to laugh at Kim and Company because it distracts our souls from the horrific reality of their hermetic regime.

From The Daily Beast

One of the most horrific episodes of the Vietnam War is being made into a government-funded opera.

From The Daily Beast

I always saw the horrific side of this seemingly benign environment.

From The Daily Beast

The refugee stories are compelling at first, but horrific details are numbing.

From The Daily Beast

Horrific yells and screams could be heard by the men as they looked on from their distant position.

From Project Gutenberg

Immediately after that he drank a horrific draft of white wine for the ease of his kidneys.

From Project Gutenberg

All these thrown in the pot of political regeneration made a situation that was tragically immoral and horrific.

From Project Gutenberg

Horrid fellows are they, one and all; horrid fellows and horrific scenes.

From Project Gutenberg

Quite suddenly they seemed to stand up against the blazing sky, monstrous, horrific, smiting the senses like a blow.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• abominable
• appalling
• awful
• cruel
• disgusting
• dreadful
• eerie
• frightful
• ghastly
• grim
• grisly
• gruesome
• hair-raising
• heinous
• hideous
• horrid