adj
Uncommon
horrendous
huh-REHN-duhs
Horrendous (adj) means Extremely unpleasant, shocking, or bad. Example: “The traffic this morning was horrendous.”
adj
1
Extremely unpleasant, shocking, or bad.
"My journey to work this morning was horrendous!"
"There was horrendous carnage at the scene of the plane crash."
"The traffic this morning was horrendous."
"They described horrendous conditions in the refugee camp."
How to use horrendous
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishVery bad indeed — often used for shocking or upsetting situations, but also loosely for anything terrible (a horrendous mess).
Common pairings
horrendous conditions
horrendous mistake
horrendous traffic
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more horrendous
- Superlative
- most horrendous
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The traffic this morning was _____.
Etymology
From Latin horrendus, "to be dreaded" — a form of the verb horreo, "to shudder or tremble".
Synonyms
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Rhymes for horrendous
See all rhymes for horrendous →Frequently asked questions
What does “horrendous” mean?
The word “horrendous” means extremely unpleasant, shocking, or bad. In plain terms, very bad indeed — often used for shocking or upsetting situations, but also loosely for anything terrible (a horrendous mess).
How do you pronounce “horrendous”?
“Horrendous” is pronounced huh-REHN-duhs (/həˈɹɛndəs/ in IPA).
How do you use “horrendous” in a sentence?
Here is “horrendous” used in a sentence: “The traffic this morning was horrendous.”
What part of speech is “horrendous”?
“Horrendous” is an adjective.
Where does the word “horrendous” come from?
The word “horrendous” comes from Latin. From Latin horrendus, "to be dreaded" — a form of the verb horreo, "to shudder or tremble".
Is “horrendous” a common word?
“Horrendous” is an uncommon word in modern English.
