horrid

adjective

hor·​rid ˈhȯr-əd How to pronounce horrid (audio)
ˈhär-
Synonyms of horridnext
1
: innately offensive or repulsive:
a
: inspiring horror : shocking
horrid living conditions
b
: inspiring disgust or loathing : nasty
a horrid man
c
: extremely bad or unpleasant : horrible
… the tenor bell … gives out a horrid discordant noise.—Robert Graves
2
archaic : rough, bristling
horridly adverb
horridness noun

Synonyms of horrid

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Examples of horrid in a Sentence

People there are living in horrid conditions. He's a horrid little man.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There’s plenty of blame to go around for the Cubs’ horrid stretch. — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2026 While the gummies themselves weren’t old, the smell and the taste are horrid. — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 24 June 2026 Within six more days a horrid newspaper man learned the story. — Eric Mandel, AJC.com, 13 Apr. 2026 All those horrid Valentine’s Day cards from school just… disappeared! — Lit Hub Approved, Literary Hub, 23 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for horrid

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin horridus "bristly, rough, uncouth, shivering with cold, inspiring dread," from horrēre "to be stiffly erect, bristle (of hair, weapons, plants), shudder, shiver" + -idus, adjective suffix of quality — more at horror entry 1

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of horrid was in 1590

Rhymes for horrid

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Browse Nearby Words

horribly
horrid
horrific
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Cite this Entry

“Horrid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/horrid. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

horrid

adjective
hor·​rid ˈhȯr-əd How to pronounce horrid (audio)
ˈhär-
1
: inspiring horror : shocking
2
a
: arousing disgust : nasty
a horrid man
b
: horrible sense 2
had horrid manners
horridly adverb
horridness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on horrid

Nglish: Translation of horrid for Spanish Speakers

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