horrific
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of horrific
First recorded in 1645–55; from Latin horrificus, equivalent to horri-, combining form of horrēre “to bristle with fear” + -ficus -fic
Explanation
Something horrific causes horror. It’s disastrous and makes you shudder with fear. Yikes! If something horrific, like a deadly car crash, makes your hair stand up, you’re onto something. Horrific comes from the Latin word horrificus — which, if you trace it back, literally means “making the hair stand on end.” Anything horrific fills you with horror and makes you bristle. If you lose your hat, that’s a bummer. A serial killer’s rampage? That's horrific. Save horrific for things that are so scary your hair stands up, or feels like it is.
Vocabulary lists containing horrific
Commonly Misspelled Words, List 5
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Time for Kids: "Typhoon in the Philippines"
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Chapter 9: Civil War and Reconstruction, Lessons 1–2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Horrific," wrote Matt Gaetz, a former adviser to President Donald Trump and former congressman, as he reposted the photo.
From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026
Horrific as it was, the test was considered a success: less than a month later the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki forcing Japan to surrender and ending World War II.
From National Geographic • Jul. 28, 2023
"Horrific and deeply shocking news. Thinking of David, his family and his staff," said the leader of the opposition Labour Party, Keir Starmer.
From Reuters • Oct. 15, 2021
Horrific events lead to more media scrutiny of online platforms, which then react to public pressure with stricter enforcement of their guidelines.
From Washington Post • Jan. 12, 2021
“Otherwise there are going to be dozens of girls running around with baby Trips. Horrific thought.”
From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
