as in agony
a situation or state that causes great suffering and unhappiness
that 20-page exam was a nightmare
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in horrific
extremely disturbing or repellent
survivors of a nuclear holocaust would surely face a nightmare existence
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of nightmare
Emily Wilkins,dan Mangan, CNBC, 20 May 2025
Instead, this antagonistic virtuoso has started letting the sticky dark feelings fueling those nightmares seep into other genres.
—A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 20 May 2025
The reader is brought into the heart of Israel’s nightmare.
—Daniel Foster, National Review, 15 May 2025
This harrowing, 35mm-shot story of pubescent boys tormenting each other at a water polo summer camp doubles as a coming-of-age drama and an adolescent, acne-scarred body-horror nightmare.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for nightmare
Noun
Critics say work requirements would create a bureaucratic nightmare, forcing the government to try to verify and track the employment status and job searching efforts of tens of millions of people.
—Emily Wilkins,dan Mangan, CNBC, 20 May 2025
Instead, this antagonistic virtuoso has started letting the sticky dark feelings fueling those nightmares seep into other genres.
—A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 20 May 2025
The reader is brought into the heart of Israel’s nightmare.
—Daniel Foster, National Review, 15 May 2025
This harrowing, 35mm-shot story of pubescent boys tormenting each other at a water polo summer camp doubles as a coming-of-age drama and an adolescent, acne-scarred body-horror nightmare.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for nightmare
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nightmare
Noun
-
Barking in agony, the fox scratches and claws in any attempt to free itself and get to safety.—
Outside Online,
Outside Online,
28 May 2025
-
Michaela calmly explains that Jocelyn got botched plastic surgery that’s kept her in private agony for the last decade.—
Caroline Framke,
Vulture,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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The war has carried a horrific toll for Gazans, with many dead amid the fighting and whole neighborhoods razed to the ground.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 May 2025
-
Instead of just ending on that horrific moment, the show then cuts to Abby several days earlier.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2025
Noun
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In the studio, a bad idea can be put out of its misery within a few minutes.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
30 May 2025
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The Athletic reflects on their 2024-25 efforts, culminating in a 14th-place finish, that caused more misery than joy.—
Roshane Thomas,
New York Times,
28 May 2025
Adjective
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Larvae of the parasitic fly chew through flesh, transforming small nicks into big, gruesome wounds.—
Sarah Zhang,
The Atlantic,
27 May 2025
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The gruesome recovery comes in the wake of a gruesome February incident, when a body was found inside a suitcase floating in the East River.—
Nicholas Williams,
New York Daily News,
27 May 2025
Noun
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Phobias, a silent clown duo with a horror twist, brought eerie theatrics to the stage — complete with balloon popping and unsettling surprises — and successfully freaked out the judges (especially Howie Mandel).—
Jessica Lynch,
Billboard,
4 June 2025
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The project marks the Indian star’s first horror entertainer, a departure from his typical action fare.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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Continuing a recent pattern of face-to-furniture collisions on the talk show, the 69-year-old's head made a momentous journey plummeting toward the program's storied table at the top of Tuesday's live broadcast, after panelist Joy Behar made a shocking joke about Sean Combs.—
Joey Nolfi Published,
EW.com,
3 June 2025
-
The toll represented a shocking increase from the 20 deaths recorded in 2019.—
Lauren Villagran,
USA Today,
2 June 2025
Noun
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As many as 40,000 Ravensbrück inmates died of starvation, disease, torture, shooting, lethal injections, medical experiments, and from lethal gas.—
Olivia B. Waxman,
Time,
4 June 2025
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Secretary Noem argues the program has been abused, but immigration advocacy groups have warned that many immigrants would be vulnerable to abuse, torture, or arrest should they be forced to return home.—
Dan Gooding
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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Even with the horrible start the Red Sox still nearly came all the way back, twice drawing to within one run, but the club couldn’t get over the hump.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
3 June 2025
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Even on a horrible team, someone has to score, get rebounds and assists.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
2 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nightmare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nightmare. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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