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ghastliness

ghastliness

1 8.5
A very shocking and horrible sight that scares people
  • noun
  • /ˈɡæstlinəs/
translation icon : horror
  • The movie was criticized for its graphic scenes, highlighting the ghastliness of violence.

Examples

  • For all her ghastliness, Hillary is at least a credible politician.

    Blog text (7)
  • These include the waste of human resources; the confusions imposed on society where these men and women insist on acceptance, even in athletic competition, with women; the encouragement of the "illusion of technique," which assumes that the body is like a suit of clothes to be hemmed and stitched to style; and, finally, the ghastliness of the mutilated anatomy.

    Academic text (1992)
  • The ghastliness of the abandoned house made everyone hesitant to enter.

  • Witnesses described the accident's ghastliness in chilling detail.

Synonyms

horror
vsghastliness
441 2.1

A very strong feeling of fear, shock, or disgust

refers to the shocking macabre quality itself rather than the feeling
grimness
vsghastliness
2 6.7

A harsh, unpleasant quality that makes people feel afraid or worried

centres on shocking macabre horror rather than general severity or harshness
hideousness
vsghastliness
2 6.3

Extreme ugliness that makes people feel shocked or disgusted

stresses macabre horror and shocking content rather than mere ugliness
scariness
vsghastliness
1 4.1

A feeling of fear caused by something you see or hear

adds a stronger sense of shocking macabre horror rather than plain fear
eeriness
vsghastliness
1 7.2

A strange, quiet feeling that makes you feel afraid or uneasy

is more intensely shocking and explicitly macabre rather than merely eerie
gruesomeness
vsghastliness
  • NSFW
1 7.0

A very shocking and frightening scene or detail that makes you feel sick

is about shocking macabre quality rather than explicit bodily detail
horribleness
vsghastliness
1 5.9

A very unpleasant, shocking state that causes fear or disgust

highlights macabre shock specifically rather than general shocking quality
frightfulness
vsghastliness
1 8.1

A strong feeling of fear when something is very scary

centres on macabre and horrible aspects beyond pure fear
fearsomeness
vsghastliness
1 6.9

A quality that makes people feel scared

carries more of a macabre, shocking edge beyond simple fright inducement
spookiness
vsghastliness
1 5.3

A strange, eerie feeling that makes you feel uneasy

is darker and more shockingly macabre rather than simply uncanny unease
ghoulishness
vsghastliness
8.8

A strange, scary quality like a ghost or monster

is broader macabre shock rather than a specifically ghoulish image
luridness
vsghastliness
  • NSFW
9.1

A shocking, vivid way of telling a story to make people react

focuses on macabre horror rather than merely sensational presentation
nightmarishness
vsghastliness
9.1

A quality that makes situations feel very frightening and unpleasant

is more about shocking macabre quality than dreamlike terror
dreadfulness
vsghastliness
7.7

A very strong feeling of fear when something is shocking or awful

focuses on macabre horror and shocking details rather than general alarm
monstrousness
vsghastliness
7.8

The quality of being very ugly or cruel in a way that shocks people

leans more toward macabre shock than moral cruelty or ugliness
horridness
vsghastliness
7.7

A very unpleasant quality that shocks people

is more specific about shockingly macabre or horrible character

Antonyms

2 3.4

A feeling that something is nice and enjoyable

A quality that makes people feel great pleasure

How Horrible

atrocity
151 8.1
ghastliness
1 8.5
horror
441 2.1
disturbance
  • Specialized
18 4.1

Surface Forms

ghastliness singular
ghastlinesses plural

Morphology

ghastliness = ghastly (transparent) = ghastly + ness

The noun 'ghastliness' is transparently derived from the adjective 'ghastly' by adding the suffix '-ness' to indicate a state or quality.

Etymology

Ghastliness comes from ghastly, which originally came from an old word for 'ghost' or 'spirit' and is the same root as ghost and aghast. So ghastliness is the quality of being like a frightening ghost, which is why it means 'shockingly frightful'.