Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

hair-raiser

American  
[hair-ray-zer] / ˈhɛərˌreɪ zər /

noun

  1. a story, experience, etc., that is terrifying or thrilling.


Etymology

Origin of hair-raiser

First recorded in 1895–1900


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.

See Examples For:

A recurring theme throughout last season's championship was Scotland's fast starts and slow finishes, the opening day hair-raiser against Wales being the classic illustration of that.

From BBC ● Jan. 31, 2025

“We Used to Live Here” isn’t your mother’s haunted house story; it’s a modern hair-raiser that pulses with uncertainty and uneasiness.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 6, 2024

Here, complications from untreated mental illness drive the unreliable narrator trope for a swirly, tangled hair-raiser.

From Seattle Times ● May 9, 2024

It has gripped us for three games - the Birmingham belter, the Rumble in north London and the Headingley hair-raiser.

From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2023

We bowled along as easy as ninepins, but the pace was a hair-raiser.

From The Nerve of Foley And Other Railroad Stories by Frank H. (Frank Hamilton) Spearman

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Just like flashcards, but way more fun

Don't take our word for it. Leave the boring studying behind and join VocabTrainer today. You'll learn even faster and never look back.

Take me to Vocabulary.com