horrific

adjective

hor·​rif·​ic hȯ-ˈri-fik 

hä-

: having the power to horrify

a horrific account of the tragedy

horrifically

hȯ-ˈri-fi-k(ə-)lē 

hä-

adverb

Synonyms

• appalling
• atrocious
• awful
• dreadful
• frightful
• ghastly
• grisly
• gruesome
• grewsome
• hideous
• horrendous
• horrible
• horrid
• horrifying
• lurid
• macabre
• monstrous
• nightmare
• nightmarish
• shocking
• terrible
• terrific

Examples of horrific in a Sentence

horrific images of the devastation spurred many people to give generously

Recent Examples on the Web

Beloved Hollywood couple Alison Brie and Dave Franco have teamed up on the big screen a handful of times already but their new collaboration tests their coupledom in new and horrific ways. —Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Jan. 2025

Fires shine spotlight on power lines Power lines are again drawing the spotlight as a potential cause of the horrific blazes. —Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 24 Jan. 2025

His focus on economic mismanagement and the Kremlin’s tolerance of horrific casualty rates, suggest his White House is aware Russia may be under some time pressure and intend to exploit it. —Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 21 Jan. 2025

Fine The horrific sentence structure should be your first warning sign. —Charles Moss, SPIN, 21 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French & Latin; French horrifique, going back to Middle French, borrowed from Latin horrificus "inspiring awe or dread, frightening," from horrēre "to be stiffly erect, bristle, shudder, shiver" + -i- -i- + -ficus -fic — more at horror entry 1

First Known Use

1653, in the meaning defined above