horrendous

[haw-ren-duhs, ho-]

adjective

1. shockingly dreadful; horrible.

   a horrendous crime.

   Synonyms: hideous, frightful, appalling

horrendous

/ hɒˈrɛndəs /

adjective

1. another word for horrific

Other Word Forms

• horrendously adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of horrendous¹

1650–60; < Latin horrendus dreadful, to be feared (gerund of horrēre to bristle, shudder), equivalent to horr- (akin to hirsute ) + -endus gerund suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of horrendous¹

C17: from Latin horrendus fearful, from horrēre to bristle, shudder, tremble; see _horror

Example Sentences

Shocked eyewitnesses have described the "horrendous" scene unfolding as a car and stabbing attack left two people dead and three others injured outside a synagogue in Manchester.

From BBC

"We are still going through such a horrendous traumatic time and loss, and we're left alone to navigate it, and it's not OK."

From BBC

Mr Reid said the damage was "horrendous" and when he saw that holes had been cut into the walls he said the couple felt "devastated".

From BBC

"It looks okay when it's all pulled in, but then I feel like, when I take my clothes off, I look like a 90-year-old woman. It is horrendous."

From BBC

"No-one should have to suffer the deep trauma and horrendous conditions these children and their families have been living in, and it is right that Scotland welcomes these children and their families," Gray said.

From BBC

Related Words

• abhorrent 
• appalling 
• atrocious 
• awful 
• dire 
• disastrous 
• dreadful 
• extreme 
• frightful 
• ghastly 
• gruesome 
• harrowing 
• hideous 
• horrible 
• horrid 

When To Use

What does horrendous mean?

Horrendous is popularly used to mean extremely bad—awful, dreadful, or horrible.It can also mean literally causing horror—horrifying or horrific, as in horrendous violence.Example: If you’re wondering what cake tastes like when you accidentally use salt instead of sugar, it’s horrendous—completely disgusting and inedible.