dismay, appall, horrify, daunt mean to unnerve or deter by arousing fear, apprehension, or aversion.
dismay implies that one is disconcerted and at a loss as to how to deal with something.
dismayed at the size of the job
appall implies that one is faced with that which perturbs, confounds, or shocks.
I am appalled by your behavior
horrify stresses a reaction of horror or revulsion.
was horrified by such wanton cruelty
daunt suggests a cowing, disheartening, or frightening in a venture requiring courage.
a cliff that would daunt the most intrepid climber
Examples of horrify in a Sentence
The details of the crime horrified the nation.
They were horrified by the movie's violence.
Recent Examples on the WebLocal landowners were horrified, and the county Board of Supervisors voted in opposition.—Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2024 The killings horrified Kansas City in 2004 and also exposed conditions in some neighborhoods along Prospect Avenue.—Katie Moore, Kansas City Star, 14 May 2024 The world was horrified by this abominable assault.—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 10 May 2024 Palestinians were horrified by the Hamas attacks, but also bothered by the sense that they were expected to condemn them, and afraid of Israel’s response to come.—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for horrify
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'horrify.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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