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 WebWhile some groups such as the Truckers and Tom Petty went out of their way to distance themselves from the stars and bars, horrified by the intrinsic racist connotations, other bands embraced the flag.—Corbin Reiff, SPIN, 25 June 2024 This horrified many longtime fans, but the tour was still a wild success.—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 18 June 2024 The Democratic National Committee called the comments horrifying and disturbing in a statement.—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 29 Apr. 2024 Closer to Walnut Creek, he was horrified by antisemitic tirades taking place at City Council meetings.—Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 7 June 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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