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nightmarish

nightmarish

17 7.0
Very frightening and unpleasant, like a bad dream
  • adjective
  • /naɪtˈmɛrɪʃ/
translation icon : de pesadilla
  • The horror movie was filled with nightmarish scenes that left the audience trembling.
  • nightmarish scenario
  • nightmarish reality
  • nightmarish world

And it's a nightmarish scenario, you know.

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Examples

  • In many cases, the truth might be easier to live with than our nightmarish fantasies.

    Academic text (1999)
  • Ellie, surrounded by a phalanx of security, moves quickly through the nightmarish mob scene.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • But anyway, what all of this goes to show you is that the banking system is in a nightmarish position.

  • And it's a nightmarish scenario, you know.

  • It was actually a nightmarish experience.

  • One of the many unpleasant aspects of the present nightmarish world situation is that.

    Academic text (1993)
  • Everything passes in a slow-motion, nightmarish blur of silence and pain.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • To a modern eye, Ruysch's still lifes and preparations may appear nightmarish and bizarre.

    Academic text (1996)
  • The room stayed black for a nightmarish moment, then began glowing a most inauspicious blood-red.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • An enormous span of time, a nightmarish and dizzying revolution of worlds spun around my mind.

    Fiction book (1994)

Synonyms

horrible
vsnightmarish
1.5

Very bad or frightening in a way that makes you feel upset

is more dreamlike and surreally distressing than plain unpleasantness
scary
vsnightmarish
763 1.0

Causing fear or making you feel afraid

is more dreamlike and deeply unsettling than ordinary fear
terrible
vsnightmarish
658 1.0

So frightening that people feel afraid

is more dreamlike and haunting rather than merely dreadful
terrifying
vsnightmarish
209 5.3

Making people feel very afraid

is more dreamlike and distressing rather than raw terror
horrific
vsnightmarish
179 5.5

Causing great fear or shock

is more dreamlike and disturbing rather than graphic or bloody
freaky
vsnightmarish
  • Informal
165 6.9

Strange in a way that makes you feel scared or nervous

is more intensely frightening and distressing than mere strangeness
dreadful
vsnightmarish
136 3.7

Very bad and unpleasant, often causing fear or shock

is more dreamlike and deeply distressing rather than plain bad
spooky
vsnightmarish
96 3.2

Strange and frightening in a way that makes you feel nervous, like a ghost

is more broadly terrifying and dreamlike rather than only supernatural
horrifying
vsnightmarish
95 4.5

Makes people feel very afraid and shocked

is more dreamlike and distressing rather than only shocking
eerie
vsnightmarish
91 5.1

A strange, frightening feeling as if ghosts are nearby

is more intensely distressing and like a bad dream rather than subtle unease
gruesome
vsnightmarish
  • NSFW
90 6.2

Shocking and unpleasant because it shows death or serious injury

is more dreamlike and unpleasant rather than graphic physical horror
appalling
vsnightmarish
87 5.6

Causing shock and strong disgust because it is very bad

is more dreamlike and terrifying rather than just shocking
horrendous
vsnightmarish
82 7.0

Very shocking and scary, causing fear or disgust

is more dreamlike and disturbing rather than only being very bad
grotesque
vsnightmarish
75 6.9

Being very strange and ugly in a way that shocks or amuses

is more about terrifying dreamlike scenes rather than only oddness
awful
vsnightmarish
  • Archaic
65 1.1

Very frightening and causing fear or dread

is more dreamlike and disturbing rather than only serious
grim
vsnightmarish
57 4.5

Very bad and shocking, causing people to feel fear or sadness

is more dreamlike and unsettling rather than merely bleak or stern
horrid
vsnightmarish
52 4.1

A very unpleasant thing that shocks or disgusts you

is more dreamlike and causes deep lasting distress
ghastly
vsnightmarish
49 6.8

Causing great fear and shock, often like death or ghosts

is more dreamlike and emotionally disturbing rather than focused on death
fearsome
vsnightmarish
37 4.8

Very frightening and likely to make people afraid

is more dreamlike and disturbing rather than merely threatening
hellish
vsnightmarish
28 6.1

Very unpleasant and painful, like being in hell

is more dreamlike and disturbing rather than only being torturous
macabre
vsnightmarish
  • NSFW
14 8.7

Strange and upsetting because it shows death or injury

is more dreamlike and distressing rather than specifically about death
atrocious
vsnightmarish
12 7.6

Very cruel and shocking, causing great pain and fear

is more dreamlike and terrifying rather than mainly cruel or brutal
frightful
vsnightmarish
7 4.2

Very bad or unpleasant in a strong way

is more dreamlike and terrifying rather than simply severe
hair-raising
vsnightmarish
  • Informal
6 5.2

Very frightening so you feel excited and afraid

is more about dreamlike terror and ongoing distress than thrill
bloodcurdling
vsnightmarish
  • Informal
1 8.2

Making you feel very afraid and shocked

is more dreamlike and unpleasant with nightmare qualities
shuddersome
vsnightmarish
9.9

Causing strong fear or disgust that makes you shiver

is more dreamlike and prolonged in its distress rather than brief shudders
eery
vsnightmarish
  • UK
6.7

Strange in a way that makes you feel afraid or uneasy

is more vividly terrifying and dreamlike rather than softly unsettling

Antonyms

314 1.0

Giving a gentle feeling of enjoyment

202 2.0

Something very pleasant that makes you happy

How Terrifying

terrifying
209 5.3
horrifying
95 4.5
nightmarish
17 7.0
disturbing
304 4.2
upsetting
81 2.5
unpleasant
215 1.0

Surface Forms

nightmarish positive

Morphology

nightmarish = nightmare (transparent) = nightmare + ish

Formed by the productive suffix '-ish' added to the familiar noun 'nightmare', yielding 'having the qualities of a nightmare'.

Etymology

The word nightmarish comes from night + mare, because long ago people believed a 'mare' was an evil spirit that sat on you while you slept and gave you bad dreams. So nightmarish means 'like a very bad dream', extremely frightening or unpleasant.