horrible
gb/hˈɔɹəbəl/ us/hˈɔɹəbəl/
B1
English
~ 8800
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B1
property
1
extremely unpleasant or very bad
Very, very bad or very unpleasant.
Usage pattern:
[something] is horrible; a horrible [noun]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "horrible" only for scary things. In modern English, it is very common for general negative opinions, similar to "terrible" or "awful". Also, learners may overuse "very horrible"; more natural options are "really horrible" or "absolutely horrible".
Synonyms
terrible (Very close in meaning; slightly more common in both spoken and written English for general negative judgments.)
Antonyms
wonderful (Describes something extremely good or pleasant, the opposite of something horrible in this everyday sense.)
Collocations
horrible smell
|horrible taste
|horrible weather
|horrible time
|horrible job
|horrible experience
Themes
daily_life
|opinions
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The food at that new restaurant was absolutely horrible.
- We had a horrible time at the airport because our flight was delayed for eight hours.
- That movie was horrible—the acting and the script were both awful.
- This coffee tastes horrible; I think something is wrong with the machine.
- The hotel room was in horrible condition when we arrived.
Learner examples
- The weather was horrible all weekend.
- This soup is horrible, so I cannot eat it.
- They had a horrible day at work.
- His handwriting is horrible and hard to read.
- The party was horrible, and we left early.
adjective
B1
state
2
feeling very ill or very guilty
Feeling very sick or feeling very bad because you are sad or sorry about something.
Usage pattern:
[someone] feels horrible (about [something])
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say "I am horrible" when they mean they feel ill or guilty. "I am horrible" usually describes your character (a bad person), not your temporary feeling. Use "I feel horrible" for health or emotion.
Synonyms
awful (Can describe both physical sickness and strong emotional discomfort, like "horrible" in this sense; slightly softer in some contexts.)
Antonyms
great (In informal speech, "feel great" is a common opposite of "feel horrible" for both physical and emotional states.)
Collocations
feel horrible
|feel horrible about
|felt horrible all day
|make [someone] feel horrible
Themes
health
|emotions
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I feel horrible today; I think I'm coming down with the flu.
- She felt horrible about forgetting her best friend's birthday.
- My stomach feels horrible after all that fast food.
- He looked horrible this morning and decided to stay home from work.
- I still feel horrible about what I said to you yesterday.
Learner examples
- I feel horrible, so I am going to bed.
- She feels horrible about her mistake.
- He felt horrible after he shouted at his brother.
- My head hurts, and I feel horrible.
- They made me feel horrible with their unkind words.
adjective
B2
property
3
morally shocking and very bad
Very cruel or very wrong, so that people feel shocked and angry.
Usage pattern:
a horrible [crime/act/story]; horrible [conditions/treatment]
Common mistake:
Learners may use "horrible" too lightly in contexts that are very serious. In news or formal writing about serious events, stronger or more specific words like "violent", "cruel", or "inhuman" can sometimes be more precise.
Synonyms
atrocious (Stronger and more formal; often used for extremely cruel or violent acts, especially in news or serious writing.)
Antonyms
admirable (Describes actions that are morally good and deserve respect, the opposite of morally horrible acts.)
Collocations
horrible crime
|horrible violence
|horrible accident
|horrible cruelty
|horrible conditions
|horrible abuse
Themes
crime
|society
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The dictator was responsible for horrible crimes against his own people.
- The refugees described the horrible conditions in the camp.
- It was a horrible act of violence that shocked the entire country.
- They suffered horrible abuse as children.
- The report detailed the horrible treatment of the workers at the factory.
Learner examples
- The war caused many horrible crimes.
- He did a horrible thing and now he is in prison.
- Those animals lived in horrible conditions.
- Child abuse is a horrible problem in many places.
- The news showed a horrible story about corruption.
adjective
B2
property
4
causing fear, horror, or disgust
Very scary or very shocking to see, hear, or think about.
Usage pattern:
a horrible [monster/nightmare/scene]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this sense with simple dislike. Saying a "horrible monster" suggests something truly frightening, not just something you don't like. For mild dislike, words like "ugly" or "scary" may fit better.
Synonyms
horrific (Often slightly more formal and used in news; focuses strongly on the horror or shock caused by an event or image.)
Antonyms
pleasant (Describes something that is nice and enjoyable, the opposite of something frightening or disgusting.)
Collocations
horrible nightmare
|horrible monster
|horrible scene
|horrible injury
|horrible scream
Themes
emotions
|stories
|health
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She woke up shaking from a horrible nightmare.
- The film shows some horrible scenes of war.
- He was attacked by a horrible monster in the video game.
- There was a horrible scream from the house next door.
- The paramedics arrived to a horrible scene after the crash.
Learner examples
- Last night I had a horrible dream.
- The story is about a horrible monster.
- They saw a horrible scene after the accident.
- The picture of the wound was horrible to see.
- We heard a horrible noise in the dark.
Grammar
Dictionary form
horrible
IPA
GB/hˈɔɹəbəl/
US/hˈɔɹəbəl/
Syllables & stress
hor - rible (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (hor)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: horrible
Word family
Expressions
a horrible feeling (that)
1/ə hˈɔɹəbəl fˈilɪŋ ðˈæt/
fixed phrase
strong sense something bad will happen
A strong, uncomfortable idea in your mind that something bad is happening or will happen.
Examples
- I have a horrible feeling that we’re making a big mistake.
- She woke up with a horrible feeling that something was wrong.
feel horrible
1/fˈil hˈɔɹəbəl/
fixed phrase
to feel very sick or very bad
To feel very sick or to feel very bad emotionally.
Examples
- I feel horrible, so I'm going to lie down.
- She felt horrible after eating too much dessert.
feel horrible about [something]
1/fˈil hˈɔɹəbəl əbˈaʊt sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
to feel very guilty or sorry
To feel very guilty or very sorry because of something you did or did not do.
Examples
- I feel horrible about what I said to you.
- She still feels horrible about missing her friend's wedding.
look horrible
1/lˈʊk hˈɔɹəbəl/
fixed phrase
to appear very bad or unwell
To look very bad, very tired, or very sick.
Examples
- You look horrible—are you getting enough sleep?
- He looked horrible after working all night.