horrific

/hɔˈrɪfɪk/

/həˈrɪfɪk/

Other forms: horrifically

Something horrific causes horror. It’s disastrous and makes you shudder with fear. Yikes!

If something horrific, like a deadly car crash, makes your hair stand up, you’re onto something. Horrific comes from the Latin word horrificus — which, if you trace it back, literally means “making the hair stand on end.” Anything horrific fills you with horror and makes you bristle. If you lose your hat, that’s a bummer. A serial killer’s rampage? That's horrific. Save horrific for things that are so scary your hair stands up, or feels like it is.

Definitions of horrific

1. adjective

   grossly offensive to decency or morality; causing horror
   “horrific conditions in the mining industry”

   synonyms: hideous, horrid, outrageous

   offensive

   unpleasant or disgusting especially to the senses
2. adjective

   causing fear or dread or terror
   synonyms: awful, dire, direful, dread, dreaded, dreadful, fearful, fearsome, frightening, horrendous, terrible

   alarming

   frightening because of an awareness of danger