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

Years later after hearing news reports about what the Wests had done, she said was in shock and felt "absolutely horrendous".

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A "pretty horrendous" scene greeted him as blood had sprayed on and in every surface.

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But Carson Wentz is all over the map for Minnesota with two good throws followed by one horrendous one.

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"I'm honestly disgusted. I remember being in A&E and wanting to die because I was suffering that much. It was horrendous."

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"If not, it sends a horrendous and shameful message: there are parts of Britain where Jews simply cannot go."

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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.