horrid

adjective

hor·​rid ˈhȯr-əd 

ˈhär-

1

: innately offensive or repulsive:

a

: inspiring horror : shocking

horrid living conditions

b

: inspiring disgust or loathing : nasty

a horrid man

c

: extremely bad or unpleasant : horrible

the tenor bell … gives out a horrid discordant noise

—Robert Graves

2

archaic : rough, bristling

horridly adverb

horridness noun

Synonyms

• abhorrent
• abominable
• appalling
• awful
• disgusting
• distasteful
• dreadful
• evil
• foul
• fulsome
• gross
• hideous
• horrendous
• horrible
• loathsome
• nasty
• nauseating
• nauseous
• noisome
• noxious
• obnoxious
• obscene
• odious
• offensive
• rancid
• repellent
• repellant
• repugnant
• repulsive
• revolting
• scandalous
• shocking
• sickening
• ugly

Examples of horrid in a Sentence

People there are living in horrid conditions.

He's a horrid little man.

Recent Examples on the Web

Neither team shot the ball well, and Wake was horrid from long distance (3-for-20 on 3s). —Chris Hays, Orlando Sentinel, 28 Nov. 2024

The horrid 2024 campaign will force a reckoning throughout the franchise. —Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 24 Nov. 2024

Which means inflation is anti-financialization precisely because devaluation is a horrid tax on investment. —John Tamny, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024

Not only that, but this is a great matchup for Brown against this horrid Jaguars defense. —Matt Modi, Newsweek, 3 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin horridus "bristly, rough, uncouth, shivering with cold, inspiring dread," from horrēre "to be stiffly erect, bristle (of hair, weapons, plants), shudder, shiver" + -idus, adjective suffix of quality — more at horror entry 1

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

horrid

adjective

hor·​rid ˈhȯr-əd 

ˈhär-

1

: inspiring horror : shocking

2

a

: arousing disgust : nasty

a horrid man

b

: horrible sense 2

had horrid manners

horridly adverb

horridness noun