macabre

American  

[muh-kah-bruh, -kahb, -kah-ber] / məˈkɑ brə, -ˈkɑb, -ˈkɑ bər /

Rarely macaber

adjective

1. gruesome and horrifying; ghastly; horrible.

2. of, pertaining to, dealing with, or representing death, especially its grimmer or uglier aspect.

3. of or suggestive of the allegorical dance of death.

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macabre British  

/ -brə, məˈkɑːbə /

adjective

1. gruesome; ghastly; grim

2. resembling or associated with the danse macabre

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Other Word Forms

• macabrely adverb

Etymology

Origin of macabre

First recorded in 1400–50; from French; compare late Middle English Macabrees daunce, from Middle French danse (de) Macabré, of uncertain origin; perhaps to be identified with Medieval Latin chorēa Machabaeōrum a representation of the deaths of Judas Maccabaeus and his brothers, but evidence is lacking; the French pronunciation with mute e is a misreading of the Middle French forms

Explanation

The adjective macabre is used to describe things that involve the horror of death or violence. If a story involves lots of blood and gore, you can call it macabre. This word first appeared in English in the context of the "Dance of Death," recounted in literature as the figure of Death leading people in a dance to the grave, and translated from the Old French Danse Macabre. The Macabre part of the phrase is thought to be an alteration of Macabe, "a Maccabee," an allusion to the Maccabees, who were a Jewish people who led a revolt against the Seleucid Empire about 166 B.C.E. and were martyred in the process.

Example Sentences

The lack of information in the macabre death has fuelled intrigue and ignited an online following, with many hypothesising about the girl's connection to the Romantic Homicide singer.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

The days, which tick off ominously, will be filled with dread and macabre in-laws; it’s hard to say what’s worse.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

And not to sound macabre, but it also sets up a “waiting game” for the widow or widower to die.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 3, 2026

The details of the case are sensationally macabre and rich with intrigue.

From Slate • Feb. 23, 2026

The skulls and bones of small creatures were hung up as macabre decorations.

From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques

Related Words

• frightening
• ghastly
• ghoulish
• grim
• grisly
• gruesome
• lurid
• morbid
• spooky
• weird