Skip to main content
horrified

horrified

35 2.8
Feeling very shocked and upset because something is terrible or frightening
  • adjective
  • /ˈhɔːrɪfaɪd/
translation icon : horrorizado
  • She was horrified to discover that her friend had been lying to her.
  • shocked and horrified
  • look horrified
  • just horrified

She was saying that she was horrified by my giant pile of laundry.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • The gray-haired woman saw the horrified look on Anna's face.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • Most people are horrified to hear that somebody is recording data.

  • So I started this journey being horrified by the treatment.

  • And her parents were horrified that that that I would do this.

  • So in this sense, yes, I am horrified by this.

  • I'm as shocked and horrified as anyone by what happened here today.

  • This is Monet who is horrified by the whole thing.

  • Susan greeted me in a horrified tone when I came on duty one evening.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • I'm so horrified!

  • Alfred, stricken dumb, gazed after him, too horrified to be able to say a word.

    Fiction book (1991)

Synonyms

shocked
vshorrified
543 2.1

Feeling surprised and upset because something bad or unexpected happens

is stronger, adding intense fear or disgust beyond mere surprise
terrified
vshorrified
263 2.1

Feeling very afraid because you think something bad will happen

includes intense shock or disgust in addition to fear
stunned
vshorrified
29 3.0

Too shocked to move or think clearly

is intense feeling but not necessarily causing inability to react
appalled
vshorrified
28 5.6

Shocked and upset by something bad or wrong

also includes intense fear or shock rather than only moral disgust
aghast
vshorrified
16 7.2

Feeling very shocked and upset after seeing or hearing something terrible

focuses more on strong fear or disgust than on amazement
horror-struck
vshorrified
1 7.2

So shocked and afraid that you cannot move

is intense but not defined by helplessness or being overcome
horror-stricken
vshorrified
1 7.2

Feeling very shocked and afraid after seeing something frightening

is intense but may apply beyond simply reacting to unpleasant events
terror-stricken
vshorrified
1 7.7

Suddenly feeling very frightened

is intense but not defined by sudden panic or urgent alarm

Antonyms

735 1.0

Not showing strong feelings and being very still

5 5.3

Not worried or surprised by a sudden problem

2 7.0

Calm and not worried when things go wrong

How Horrified

petrified
29 4.6
terrified
263 2.1
horrified
35 2.8
frightened
3 1.0
alarmed
10 2.2
startled
3.3
uneasy
98 3.2

Surface Forms

horrified positive

Morphology

horrified = horrify (transparent) = horrify + ed

The adjective is a standard past-participial/ed formation from the verb 'horrify', meaning 'caused to feel horror', which is directly predictable from the verb.

Etymology

Horrified comes from an old Latin verb horrēre, which means 'to make the hair stand up' or 'to shiver', and you can see the same root in horror and horrible. So, to be horrified is to feel that sudden shiver or shock of fear or disgust.