horror-stricken
1
7.2
- adjective
- /ˈhɔrər ˈstrɪkən/
- The audience sat in silence, horror-stricken by the graphic scenes on stage.
Examples
-
Karen and I watched it, horror-stricken, on television.
Academic text (2014) -
The historian stared at the bone, horror-stricken.
Fiction book (1994) -
I was horror-stricken.
Academic text (2014) -
Upon seeing the aftermath of the accident, he was horror-stricken and could hardly speak.
-
She looked horror-stricken as the news report detailed the tragic events.
Synonyms
369
2.1
Feeling very afraid because you think something bad will happen
343
1.0
Being afraid because something seems dangerous
103
2.8
Feeling very shocked and upset because something is terrible or frightening
95
2.7
Feeling upset and confused after a sudden bad event
81
2.2
Suddenly afraid or worried because you think something bad might happen
72
8.0
Seriously affected by illness, disaster, or strong feeling
39
4.6
So frightened that you cannot move or think clearly
16
7.2
Feeling very shocked and upset after seeing or hearing something terrible
4
6.3
Suddenly very afraid and acting without thinking
1
7.7
Suddenly feeling very frightened
1
7.2
So shocked and afraid that you cannot move
1
7.5
Suddenly very afraid and unable to think clearly
1
7.9
Suddenly feeling very afraid
Antonyms
How Horrified
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Horror-stricken comes from horror, from an old Latin word horrere meaning 'to shudder', and stricken, from strike meaning 'to hit'. So, to be horror-stricken is like being 'hit' by a feeling that makes you 'shudder', which is why it means extremely shocked or terrified.