hair-raising

[ hair-rey-zing ]

adjective

1. terrifying or horrifying:

   We had a hair-raising brush with death.

hair-raising

adjective

1. inspiring horror; terrifying

   a hair-raising drop of 600 feet

Derived Forms

• ˈhair-ˌraiser, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of hair-raising¹

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

But whereas Splash Mountain was about ramping up the tension — turning fear into fun — Tiana’s wants to use its hair-raising drops for something that feels more festive.

From Los Angeles Times

My former boss joined me recently to talk about some of the hair-raising possibilities raised by his new book.

From Salon

Among them were experienced mountaineers accustomed to steep terrain where any fall could be fatal, and casual hikers who had never before attempted to climb anything as hair-raising.

From Los Angeles Times

But the most common mishaps and malfunctions, even if hair-raising, are not typically severe, experts said.

From New York Times

The aim of the hair-raising trips is to gather information that can help officials on the ground make decisions such as when to order people to evacuate.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• breathtaking
• chilling
• electrifying
• frightening
• shocking
• suspenseful
• terrifying