horrible

horrible 1 Horrible, horrid, horrific, horrendous mean inspiring horror or abhorrence.

Horrible (see also FEAR-FUL 2) is the general term for what inspires horror

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some . . . horrible form, which might deprive your sovereignty of reason— Shak.

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wrongs and shames, horrible, hateful, monstrous, not to be told— Tennyson

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coconuts in the horrible likeness of a head shrunken by headhunted— Sinclair Lewis

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Horrid, often practically synonymous with horrible, sometimes carries a stronger implication of inherent or innate offensiveness or repulsiveness

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this emperor . . . from Rome retired to Capreae . . . with purpose there his horrid lusts in private to enjoy— Milton

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some horrid beliefs from which . . . human nature revolts— Bagehot

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In modern colloquial usage the word is often weakened to a general term of aversion

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horrid weather

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horrid little boys

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gave her a loud ... smack on the back, with horrid familiarity— O'Flaherty

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Horrific (see also FEARFUL 2), a somewhat bookish term, stresses the power to horrify

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she was a brave narrator . . . her voice sinking into a whisper over the supernatural or the horrific— Stevenson

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horrific black headlines in our daily papers— Charles Jackson

}

Horrendous is used chiefly in producing a literary effect (as the suggestion of extreme frightfulness, an apt rhyme for tremendous or stupendous, or an onomatopoeic rhythm)

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damnings most dreadful . . . execrations horrendous, blasphemies stupendous— Edward Hooker

}

Analogous words: abhorrent, abominable, detestable, *hateful: *repugnant, repellent, obnoxious: *offensive, repulsive, revolting, loathsome

Antonyms: fascinating

Contrasted words: *pleasant, pleasing, grateful, gratifying: attractive, alluring, charming, enchanting (see under ATTRACT)

2 horrific, shocking, appalling, *fearful, awful, dreadful, frightful, terrible, terrific

Ana, Ant & Contrasted words: see those at HORRIBLE 1