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Horrendous Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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horrendous

[hษ™หˆrษ›ndษ™s ]

Definition

Context #1 | Adjective

adjective to describe something extremely unpleasant or horrifying

Extremely unpleasant, horrifying, or terrible. Describes something that is shockingly bad or dreadful.

Synonyms

appalling, atrocious, awful, dreadful, ghastly.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
horrendous

Used to describe something extremely unpleasant or shocking. Often emphasizes the severity of a negative situation or experience.

  • The traffic was horrendous this morning
  • The financial losses suffered by the company were horrendous
dreadful

Typically describes something that causes fear or dread, but can also be used more broadly to describe very bad situations.

  • The weather has been dreadful all week
  • There was a dreadful accident on the highway
awful

A general term for something very bad or unpleasant. It can describe anything from minor inconveniences to more serious issues.

  • The food at the party was awful
  • She had an awful headache all day
appalling

Used when something is so bad that it causes shock or dismay, emphasizing a strong negative reaction.

  • The living conditions in the refugee camp are appalling
  • I was appalled by the appalling state of cleanliness in the restaurant
atrocious

Describes something extremely wicked, brutal, or cruel; also used to describe something very bad or of poor quality.

  • The acts of violence committed during the war were atrocious
  • His spelling is atrocious
ghastly

Often used to describe something causing horror or fear, or something shockingly unpleasant to look at or experience.

  • She turned ghastly pale after hearing the news
  • The room was in a ghastly state when we arrived

Examples of usage

  • The movie was so horrendous that I had to leave the theater.
  • The smell coming from the garbage was absolutely horrendous.
  • Her behavior towards her employees was truly horrendous.
  • The storm caused horrendous damage to the town.
  • The conditions in the prison were described as horrendous by the inspectors.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Origin of 'horrendous'

The word 'horrendous' originated from the Latin word 'horrendus', which means 'to be feared'. It entered the English language in the early 17th century. Over time, 'horrendous' has evolved to describe something extremely unpleasant or horrifying. Its usage has become common in modern English to convey the severity of a situation or experience.

See also: horrible, horribly, horrific, horrified, horrify, horrifying.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #23,194, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.