horrible
Americanadjective
-
causing or tending to cause horror; shockingly dreadful.
a horrible sight.
- Synonyms:
- repellent, horrendous, horrid, repulsive, revolting, shocking, ghastly, grim, hideous, frightful, appalling, awful, terrible
- Antonyms:
- attractive
-
extremely unpleasant; deplorable; disgusting.
horrible living conditions.
adjective
-
causing horror; dreadful
-
disagreeable; unpleasant
-
informal cruel or unkind
Usage
What does horrible mean? Horrible is popularly used to mean extremely bad—awful, dreadful, or horrendous. When it’s used to describe a person, it often means extremely disagreeable or cruel. Much less commonly, it can mean literally causing horror—horrifying or horrific. Example: Everyone seems to like that restaurant, but I had a horrible experience there—bad food and even worse service.
Other Word Forms
- horribleness noun
- horribly adverb
Etymology
Origin of horrible
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English (h)orrible, from Old French, from Latin horribilis, equivalent to horr(ēre) “to stand on end, bristle with fear” + -ibilis -ible
Explanation
The difference between bad and horrible is like the difference between an unpleasant dream and an awful nightmare. Horrible means "causing horror," and goes back to the Latin word for “tremble” or “shudder.” A horrible thing makes you shake with fear, like a story about an atrocious crime. We also use horrible hyperbolically (which means in an over-the-top way) to criticize things. You might think you look horrible in photos, or that a new TV reality show is horrible. Do you ever wonder if something horrible is hiding in your closet? I mean, besides your plaid suit?
Vocabulary lists containing horrible
Beowulf vocabulary
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So Bad: Synonyms for "Awful"
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"maggie and milly and molly and may"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It’s a real business need, sure, and it’s not a horrible idea on the surface.
From Slate • Apr. 16, 2026
“It’s a horrible little bar—little room, dark and poky—it’s not a place you’d want to spend any time, but in principle, I don’t agree with it,” she said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026
Carol Boon said the experience was "just horrible", while Max Hume said he had been forced to spend £1,800 to get home.
From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026
Yes, this was definitely a horrible yet interesting first date idea.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026
I feel a mounting tide of panic—like something horrible is about to happen.
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
