horrible

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "horrible" is correct and can be used in written English.
It is an adjective meaning very bad, terrible, or unpleasant. Example: The storm last night was horrible; the thunder was deafening and the lightning was blinding.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Lifestyle

Opinion

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"But, as horrible as it is to say, a member of staff should probably not have released the car from the station when an empty one hadn't made it back".

The Guardian

Scott Morrison's response to the exposure of asylum seekers' details on the immigration department's website was a "horrible mistake" that had made the situation worse, the chairman of the Australian Privacy Foundation says.

The Guardian

Musically, lyrically and spiritually – Get Lucky is just horrible.

The Guardian - Music

Hay fever can be horrible for children (runny noses aren't fun, and a blocked nose disrupts sleep), especially at exam time.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

"I know that would be horrible, but no more horrible than what I'm facing anyway," he says.

The Guardian

But on cold, wet, damp, horrible winter day – that's when you really need inspiration.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Those horrible winter days when it's piddling down with rain!

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Geert Wilders, of the far-right Freedom Party, which had backed the government for 18 months before withdrawing its support over the weekend, said: "We don't want to cut spending by €14bn and at the same time transfer billions of euros to Brussels for the horrible ESM [European Stability Mechanism] emergency fund and the weak Greeks".

The Guardian - Business

Lawrence, played by Linzi Hateley in the film, said: "It was a horrible time to go through.

The Guardian - Film

The litany of brutality, lawlessness and lack of accountability serves as a reminder of what a horrible decision President Obama made at the outset of his administration to close the books on this chapter in our history, even as he repudiated the use of torture.

The Guardian

She used to wear this horrible thing like a babygrow!" In 2003, Shelley married a Tory-supporting civil servant.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "horrible" to describe something that evokes strong feelings of disgust, fear, or aversion. It's effective when you want to emphasize the negative impact of a situation, event, or object.

Common error

Avoid using "horrible" too frequently in your writing, as it can diminish its impact. Vary your vocabulary with synonyms like "awful", "terrible", or "dreadful" to maintain reader engagement and prevent monotony.

Linguistic Context

The word "horrible" primarily functions as an adjective, modifying nouns to describe something unpleasant, bad, or of poor quality. Ludwig's examples demonstrate its use in various contexts to express negative sentiments.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Lifestyle

15%

Opinion

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Science

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "horrible" is a commonly used adjective to describe something unpleasant or extremely bad. Ludwig AI confirms that it is grammatically correct and widely accepted in written English. This guide summarizes its usage, suggesting alternatives like "awful" and "terrible" to avoid overuse. With examples primarily sourced from News & Media, Lifestyle, and Opinion contexts, "horrible" serves to express negative evaluations and judgments. While versatile, it's advisable to vary your vocabulary for impactful writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

awful

A slightly less intense synonym, emphasizing the unpleasant or bad nature of something.

terrible

Similar in intensity to "horrible", denoting something extremely bad or serious.

dreadful

Emphasizes the causing of great fear or suffering; slightly more dramatic.

atrocious

Implies extreme wickedness or cruelty; a more formal and intense term.

appalling

Suggests something shocking and deeply unpleasant; carries a strong emotional charge.

ghastly

Suggests something extremely unpleasant and frightening; often used in a lighter, exaggerated way.

frightful

Implies something causing great fear or alarm; somewhat archaic in tone.

abysmal

Emphasizes the extremely low quality or depth of something.

deplorable

Expresses strong disapproval or condemnation; a more formal term.

lousy

Informal term indicating something is poor or unpleasant.

FAQs

How can I use "horrible" in a sentence?

You can use "horrible" to describe something extremely unpleasant or bad, for example, "The weather today is "horrible"" or "That was a "horrible" experience".

What can I say instead of "horrible"?

You can use alternatives like "awful", "terrible", or "dreadful" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "horrible" or "horrific"?

"Horrible" describes something unpleasant or bad, while "horrific" describes something that causes horror. Use "horrific" when emphasizing the causing of great fear or shock.

What's the difference between "horrible" and "awful"?

"Horrible" and "awful" are often interchangeable, but "horrible" may suggest a stronger sense of disgust or aversion, while "awful" can imply something merely unpleasant or disappointing.