horrify

[hawr-uh-fahy, hor-]

See more synonyms for horrify on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), hor·ri·fied, hor·ri·fy·ing.

to cause to feel horror; strike with horror: The accident horrified us all.
to distress greatly; shock or dismay: She was horrified by the price of the house.

Origin of horrify

1785–95; < Latin horrificāre to cause horror, equivalent to horri- (combining form of horrēre to bristle with fear; see horrendous) + -ficāre -fy

Related formshor·ri·fi·ca·tion, nounhor·ri·fy·ing·ly, adverb

Synonyms

See more synonyms for horrify on Thesaurus.com

frighten, terrify; repel, appall.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for horrify

Contemporary Examples

There's a captive audience for TV shows starring people who horrify us with their behavior.
Our Pop Culture Wish List for 2014
Kevin Fallon
December 30, 2013
But it cannot surprise anyone at this point that the sorts of things that horrify decent people do not horrify Ron Paul.
The Ron Paul Institute: Be Afraid, Very Afraid
James Kirchick
April 25, 2013
Understanding is not sanction: these crimes still have the power to anger and horrify.
There's Little We Can Do to Prevent Another Massacre
Megan McArdle
December 17, 2012
Every day, newspapers and television outlets battled to see who could horrify more people with fewer words.
Pandemic of Fear
Michael Specter
October 30, 2009
This idea—becoming part of the star machine in any way—seems to horrify Friend.
Revenge of the Wallflower
Fiona Golfar
June 23, 2009

Historical Examples

A frightful accident like this moves, upsets, scares; it does not horrify.
The Works of Guy de Maupassant, Volume VIII.
Guy de Maupassant
When the whole story comes to be told it will horrify the world.
The Blot on the Kaiser's 'Scutcheon
Newell Dwight Hillis
I would if I were you, and quickly, lest you horrify some one else with it.
A Pessimist
Robert Timsol
Because you horrify me—you are not religious, and you work your will by the black art!
The Mesmerist's Victim
Alexandre Dumas
I do understand you, said Damier, but you horrify me none the less.
The Rescue
Anne Douglas Sedgwick

British Dictionary definitions for horrify

horrify

verb -fies, -fying or -fied (tr)

to cause feelings of horror in; terrify; frighten
to dismay or shock greatly

Derived Formshorrification, 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 horrify

v.

1791 (implied in horrifying), from horror + -fy. Related: Horrified; horrifying.

horrify

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}horrify

Synonyms

Examples from the Web for horrify

Contemporary Examples

There's a captive audience for TV shows starring people who horrify us with their behavior.

But it cannot surprise anyone at this point that the sorts of things that horrify decent people do not horrify Ron Paul.

Understanding is not sanction: these crimes still have the power to anger and horrify.

Every day, newspapers and television outlets battled to see who could horrify more people with fewer words.

This idea—becoming part of the star machine in any way—seems to horrify Friend.

Historical Examples

A frightful accident like this moves, upsets, scares; it does not horrify.

When the whole story comes to be told it will horrify the world.

I would if I were you, and quickly, lest you horrify some one else with it.

Because you horrify me—you are not religious, and you work your will by the black art!

I do understand you, said Damier, but you horrify me none the less.

horrify

Word Origin and History for horrify

v.

Origin of horrify