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Synonyms

horrified

American  
[hawr-uh-fahyd, hor-] / ˈhɔr əˌfaɪd, ˈhɒr- /

adjective

  1. showing or indicating great shock or horror.

    a horrified gasp; a horrified expression.

  2. accompanied or characterized by a feeling of horror.

    horrified interest.

  3. struck with horror; shocked.

    horrified and outraged spectators.
horrified British  
/ ˈhɒrɪˌfaɪd /

adjective

  1. terrified; frightened

  2. dismayed or shocked

"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

Other Word Forms

  • horrifiedly adverb
  • unhorrified adjective

Etymology

Origin of horrified

First recorded in 1830–40; horrify + -ed 2

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.

The Kansas-born DiDonato said she is "horrified" by shootings but sees "Innocence" as also addressing a normalization of violence that extends into other areas such as deportations and war.

From Barron's • Apr. 5, 2026

An orphan himself, Lucas is horrified by the idea that Claire will be separated from her baby.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

“The family was horrified and devastated by what they witnessed.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2026

His customers, including one who credits Diaco for actually saving his life, were horrified at what had happened, and raised £3,000 to replace his takings and help him set up security systems.

From BBC • Mar. 15, 2026

Even if, in this moment, he was horrified by his brother’s actions, he didn’t relish having to tell him the truth.

From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray

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.