horrifying times

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "horrifying times" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe periods or events that are particularly distressing or frightening. Example: "The world has faced horrifying times during the pandemic, with many lives lost and communities shattered."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Yet it was an infinitely more horrifying time nonetheless.

The Guardian - Opinion

The New York Times: Horrifying new numbers on America's obesity rates.

The New York Times

The film revolves around an intriguing Groundhog Day-style premise whereby a rookie lieutenant colonel named Bill Cage (Cruise) is forced to fight the same losing battle against alien invaders again and again, experiencing horrifying death countless times.

The Guardian - Film

In painstaking and at times horrifying detail, Alexis Jay, the professor whose inquiry investigated the sexual exploitation of children over 16 years in Rotherham, has set out the alarming scale and heartbreaking individual instances of the abuse that began in the early 1990s.

The Guardian

"The Serbian commentator was also horrified every time Conchita received maximum scores".

Huffington Post

I am horrified every time I hear about a landlord harassing tenants to get them out of their rent-stabilized apartments, or when long-time elderly residents are forced out after their new landlords decide they want to raise rents.

Huffington Post

"They tried to make me go to rehab, and I said No, No, No" – funny at the time, horrifying in hindsight.

The Guardian

Their vision for our future, while a little horrifying at times, seems to have our best interests at heart.

Forbes

It is sometimes fun to watch, at other times deliciously horrifying, but it is not likely to tie up the ABC telephone switchboard or make Johnny Carson sob with laughter.

The New York Times - Arts

On hand were 80 hapless UN peacekeepers; all they could do was to help children who had been trampled or shot in the crush to die more comfortably by laying them out on the ground.Ms Polman's account of what turned out to be the worst decade of UN peacekeeping is horrifying, absurd and, at times, killingly funny.

The Economist

The verdicts, along with five other war crimes convictions, concluded an almost four-year trial in which many witnesses spoke, at times in horrifying detail, of the Serbian capture of the United Nations protected enclaves of Srebrenica and Zepa that held tens of thousand of Bosnian Muslim refugees.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "horrifying times" to describe periods characterized by widespread fear, suffering, or moral depravity. Ensure the context clearly establishes the specific source and nature of the horror.

Common error

Avoid using "horrifying times" to describe situations that are merely inconvenient or mildly unpleasant. Reserve it for truly disturbing or catastrophic events to maintain its impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "horrifying times" functions as a noun phrase, where "horrifying" acts as a descriptive adjective modifying the noun "times". It's used to characterize specific periods as exceptionally dreadful. Ludwig AI validates the grammatical correctness of this phrase, though its usage is relatively infrequent.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "horrifying times" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe periods marked by intense fear and suffering. As Ludwig AI indicates, this expression is relatively infrequent, making it best suited for contexts where strong emotional impact is intended. It is mostly found in news and media. When using "horrifying times", ensure it aligns with the gravity of the situation and consider alternatives such as "terrible eras" or "frightening periods" for varied expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

terrible eras

Replaces "horrifying" with "terrible" and "times" with "eras", altering the tone slightly.

frightening periods

Substitutes "horrifying" with "frightening", which carries a similar meaning of causing fear.

dreadful epochs

Replaces "horrifying" with "dreadful" and "times" with the more formal "epochs".

traumatic moments

Shifts the focus to specific "moments" that are "traumatic" rather than an extended period.

dark days

A more figurative expression indicating a period of unhappiness or trouble.

difficult chapters

Uses the metaphor of a book to describe challenging periods in life or history.

challenging years

Focuses on the difficulty of the "years" in question, rather than the horror.

grim intervals

Substitutes "horrifying" with "grim" and "times" with "intervals", both suggesting negativity.

scary days

A simpler and more direct alternative using "scary" instead of "horrifying".

troubled days

Focuses on the "trouble" and difficulty experienced during these periods.

FAQs

How can I use "horrifying times" in a sentence?

Use "horrifying times" to describe eras marked by significant distress or fear, such as, "The world has witnessed many "horrifying times" throughout history, including periods of war and pandemics."

What are some alternatives to "horrifying times"?

You can use alternatives like "terrible eras", "frightening periods", or "dark days" depending on the specific context and nuance you want to convey.

Is it appropriate to use "horrifying times" in informal conversation?

While grammatically correct, "horrifying times" is a relatively strong phrase best reserved for situations where the gravity matches the intensity of the words. Simpler phrases might be more appropriate in informal settings.

What makes "horrifying times" different from "difficult times"?

"Difficult times" refers to challenges and hardships, while "horrifying times" emphasizes the intense fear, dread, and moral shock associated with particular events or periods. "Horrifying times" implies a deeper level of emotional and ethical disturbance.