Horrendous

/həˈrɛndəs/

Meaning & Definition

adjective
Extremely unpleasant, horrifying, or bad.
The storm caused horrendous damage to the town's infrastructure.
Causing horror; extremely shocking.
The documentary revealed the horrendous conditions in the factory.
Very bad or terrible.
He received a horrendous grade on his final exam.

Etymology

From Latin horrendus, from horrere ‘to shudder, tremble’.

Common Phrases and Expressions

horrendous crime
A crime that is exceptionally bad or shocking.
horrendous noise
A sound that is unbearable or extremely disturbing.

Related Words

horror
An intense feeling of fear, shock, or disgust.
horrible
Causing horror; extremely unpleasant.

Slang Meanings

Something that is extremely bad.
That movie was horrendous, I can't believe I paid to see it.
Used to describe a severely negative situation.
The traffic today was horrendous!