ENGLISH
REFERENCE

nightmarish

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈnaɪtˌmɛɹɪʃ// UK //nˈaɪtmeəɹɪʃ// night·mar·ish

adj. extremely unpleasant, scary, or difficult to deal with. You use this to describe a situation that feels like a bad dream.

adj. extremely unpleasant, terrifying, or difficult to endure. Often used to describe real-world situations that evoke the sense of dread or horror associated with nightmares.


SIMPLE

The long flight was a nightmarish experience.

CONTEXTUAL

The family described the nightmarish journey through the flooded streets as the worst day of their lives.

COMPLEX

The documentary provides a nightmarish look at the conditions inside the overcrowded refugee camps, highlighting the systemic failures of the international aid response.

Synonyms
Origin

From nightmare + -ish.

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