horror

[hawr-er, hor-]

noun

1. an overwhelming and painful feeling caused by something frightfully shocking, terrifying, or revolting; a shuddering fear.

   to shrink back from a mutilated corpse in horror.

   Synonyms: consternation, dismay, dread
   Antonyms: serenity

2. anything that causes such a feeling.

   killing, looting, and other horrors of war.

3. such a feeling as a quality or condition.

   to have known the horror of slow starvation.

4. a strong aversion; abhorrence.

   to have a horror of emotional outbursts.

   Synonyms: abomination, hatred, detestation, antipathy, loathing
   Antonyms: attraction

5. Informal.,  something considered bad or tasteless.

   That wallpaper is a horror. The party was a horror.

6. Informal.,  horrors,

   1. delirium tremens.

   2. extreme depression.

adjective

1. inspiring or creating horror, loathing, aversion, etc..

   The hostages told horror stories of their year in captivity.

2. centered upon or depicting terrifying or macabre events.

   a horror movie.

interjection

1. horrors, (used as a mild expression of dismay, surprise, disappointment, etc.)

horror

/ ˈhɒrə /

noun

1. extreme fear; terror; dread

2. intense loathing; hatred

3. (often plural) a thing or person causing fear, loathing, etc

4. (modifier) having a frightening subject, esp a supernatural one

   a horror film

Word History and Origins

Origin of horror¹

First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin horror, equivalent to horr- (stem of horrēre “to bristle with fear”; horrendous ) + -or -or ¹; replacing Middle English orrour, from Anglo-French, from Latin horrōr-, stem of horror

Word History and Origins

Origin of horror¹

C14: from Latin: a trembling with fear; compare _hirsute

Idioms and Phrases

see under throw up one's hands.

Synonym Study

See terror.

Example Sentences

But, then again, neither is motherhood; neither is being an adult; neither is getting out of bed every day and seeing what new horrors might await once we leave the house.

Read more on Salon

But for the first time since the Hamas attacks on Israel, there is a realistic chance of ending the horrors of the last two years.

Read more on BBC

He sang country music, which “serious” critics treat the same way they treat horror and comedy—as a lesser genre, entertaining but basic.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Frankenstein themes were threaded through 2023’s Poor Things, which won Emma Stone an Oscar, as well as two recent teen horror movies, Lisa Frankenstein and The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Mr. Wan, who directs neither narrative but has his fingerprints all over both, doesn’t get enough credit for having resurrected, resuscitated and rejuvenated the horror flick.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• apprehension 
• awe 
• consternation 
• disgust 
• dismay 
• dread 
• fear 
• fright 
• hatred 
• panic 
• revulsion 
• terror