Dictionary.com
definitions

hair-raising

[ hair-rey-zing ]
/ ˈhɛərˌreɪ zɪŋ /
|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR hair-raising ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

terrifying or horrifying: We had a hair-raising brush with death.

RELATED CONTENT

emo hairRead more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
READ MORE
👩‍🦱 - Woman, Curly Hair Emoji - Emoji by Dictionary.comRead more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
READ MORE

RELATED WORDS

breathtaking, terrifying, shocking, frightening, chilling, suspenseful, electrifying, exciting, spine-tingling, bloodcurdling, cliff-hanging, spine-chilling

Nearby words

  1. hair transplant,
  2. hair trigger,
  3. hair's breadth,
  4. hair's-breadth,
  5. hair-raiser,
  6. hair-shirt,
  7. hair-splitting,
  8. hair-trigger,
  9. hairball,
  10. hairbrained

Origin of hair-raising

First recorded in 1895–1900
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for hair-raising

British Dictionary definitions for hair-raising

hair-raising

adjective

inspiring horror; terrifyinga hair-raising drop of 600 feet
Derived Formshair-raiser, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for hair-raising

hair-raising

adj.

"exciting," 1837, from hair + raise (v.). In 19c. works, sometimes as jocular mock-classical tricopherous.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper