Word
horrible
Phoneticshor·ri·ble, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈhɔɹəbəɫ/
UK/hˈɒɹɪbəl/
Definitions
01very unpleasant
B1 · Intermediate
adj. very bad or unpleasant to experience.
adj. extremely unpleasant or disagreeable in nature.
日本語:嫌※
“The weather was horrible all weekend, so we stayed inside and watched movies.”
“The commute was absolutely horrible this morning due to a major signal failure on the main line.”
02shocking or cruel
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. causing a feeling of horror because something is very cruel or shocking.
adj. evoking horror, shock, or intense fear; often used to describe crimes or accidents.
日本語:無残※
“It was a horrible accident, but luckily nobody was seriously hurt.”
“The survivors shared horrible stories of the conditions they endured during the long winter siege.”
03a bad consequence
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Law Formal · Technical
n. a very bad thing that might happen in the future as a result of a choice.
n. a prospective bad consequence or terrifying possibility; often used in the phrase 'parade of horribles'.
“The lawyer listed every horrible that could happen if the new law passed.”
“The judge dismissed the argument as a mere parade of horribles that lacked any grounding in the actual text of the statute.”
Usage
Usually used in the plural form 'horribles' within legal or political rhetoric.
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “horrible” in context.
Verb
01. feel horrible about the mistake
“She felt horrible about the mistake she made on the report.”
verb + adj + prep + noun
02. have a horrible dream
“I woke up crying because I had a horrible dream about losing my job.”
verb + adj + noun
03. smell horrible
“Please open the window; the old milk in the fridge smells horrible.”
verb + adj
Adjective
04. absolutely horrible
“The weather during our vacation was absolutely horrible, as it rained every single day.”
adv + adj
05. horrible to look at
“The abandoned building was dark, dirty, and horrible to look at.”
adj + infinitive
Noun
06. horrible accident
“There was a horrible accident on the highway this morning, so traffic is very slow.”
adj + noun
07. horrible experience
“Getting stuck in the elevator for three hours was a horrible experience.”
adj + noun
Etymology
First attested in Middle English (alternately as horrible and orrible) in 1303: from Old French horrible, orrible, orible, from Latin horribilis, from horr(ēre) (“tremble”) + -ibilis (“-ible”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B1 · IntermediateOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/horrible
※ 機械で選んだ訳語です。ネイティブスピーカーによる確認はまだです。
「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0