horrendous

adjective

hor·​ren·​dous hȯ-ˈren-dəs How to pronounce horrendous (audio)
hä-,
hə-
: extremely bad or unpleasant : horrible, dreadful
His audition was horrendous.
horrendous crimes
horrendously adverb

Examples of horrendous in a Sentence

Her taste in clothes is horrendous. a horrendous explosion shook the building
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For days, images from the horrendous series of wildfires that continue to consume huge swaths of Los Angeles have been devastating. Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2025 There are three more years left on this horrendous agreement. Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025 His fourth goal in his last six games tied the game on the power play early in the third period, but Dach’s been steadily building his game for weeks after a horrendous start to the season coming off a devastating injury and nearly a calendar year away from NHL competition on the ice. Arpon Basu, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025 Expand The Bears offense turned in a horrendous first half, totaling just 53 yards and not getting a first down until less than a minute left in the second quarter. Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for horrendous 

Word History

Etymology

Latin horrendus "inspiring terror or awe, dreadful" (gerundive of horrēre "to be stiffly erect, bristle, shudder, shiver") + -ous — more at horror entry 1

First Known Use

1659, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of horrendous was in 1659

Dictionary Entries Near horrendous

Cite this Entry

“Horrendous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/horrendous. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

horrendous

adjective
hor·​ren·​dous hȯ-ˈren-dəs How to pronounce horrendous (audio)
hä-,
hə-
horrendously adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on horrendous

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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