horror
/ˈhɒrə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈhɔːrər/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈhȯr-ər ˈhär-/ (ame, mw) · /ˈhɒr.ər/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈhɔːr.ɚ/ (ame, ipa)
horror — noun
1. a very strong and unpleasant feeling of being frightened or shocked, usually bec
a very strong and unpleasant feeling of being frightened or shocked, usually because something painful, dangerous, or deeply upsetting has happened or been seen
The passengers watched in horror as the plane's engine caught fire.
in horror — common prepositional phrase after verbs of seeing or watching
Hari let out a cry of pure horror when he saw the injured dog.
The full horror of the earthquake only became clear when rescue teams reached the village.
Lucas stared at the exam results in horror, unable to believe his eyes.
Nothing can prepare a person for the horror of watching a loved one suffer.
文法句型
horror + of + noun/gerund
in horror
a/the horror of something
用法筆記
Often used with prepositions like 'in' (froze in horror / watched in horror) or 'with' (filled with horror). The construction 'the horror of + noun/gerund' is also very common.
常見錯誤
2. events, situations, or experiences that cause strong feelings of fear, shock, or
events, situations, or experiences that cause strong feelings of fear, shock, or deep upset, especially when they involve violence, suffering, or disaster
The documentary shows the horrors of war through the eyes of child survivors.
the horrors of [war/disaster] — common plural collocation
Indra cannot bring herself to watch news reports about the horrors of the famine.
Survivors shared the horrors they experienced during the prison camp years.
The museum exhibit forces visitors to face the horrors of the country's past.
Daichi wrote a book about the horrors of living through a civil war.
文法句型
the horrors of [war/disaster/disease]
用法筆記
Commonly used in the plural form 'horrors' to refer to a set of terrible experiences. The singular 'horror' can also refer to a specific shocking event, but 'the horrors of [theme]' is the dominant pattern.
常見錯誤
3. stories, books, and films created to make the audience feel afraid, often involv
stories, books, and films created to make the audience feel afraid, often involving ghosts, monsters, violence, or psychological suspense
Isabela loves reading horror novels late at night with all the lights off.
The new horror film is set in an abandoned hotel high in the mountains.
Ayana prefers comedy to horror because she does not like being scared before bed.
Many people consider this director the modern master of horror and suspense.
Horror stories often use dark settings and sudden noises to frighten the reader.
- horror fiction
a more formal and specific term for the written genre
- supernatural fiction
broader genre that overlaps with horror but focuses on paranormal elements, not necessarily frightening
文法句型
horror + noun (film/novel/story)
noun + horror (science fiction/horror)
用法筆記
Used as an uncountable noun for the genre as a whole. It also appears as an attributive noun before other nouns: horror film, horror writer, horror fiction. This is different from the adjective sense (see adjective entry).
常見錯誤
4. a young person whose behaviour is so difficult or naughty that they cause consta
a young person whose behaviour is so difficult or naughty that they cause constant problems for the adults around them
Their youngest son is a real horror — he never listens to anything anyone says.
a real horror — informal fixed expression (British English)
The teacher called the class a bunch of little horrors who run wild every break.
Élise's little brother is such a horror that no babysitter will take the job.
The neighbours call him a little horror because he breaks their fence nearly every week.
- angel
used informally for a very well-behaved child
文法句型
a/the + horror
用法筆記
Informal British English only. Usually preceded by 'a' or 'the' and modified by adjectives like 'little' or 'real'. Not used in American English. For a broadly understood equivalent, use 'brat' or 'menace'.
常見錯誤
horror — adjective
1. appearing in journalism before a noun to describe a shocking, violent, or very u
appearing in journalism before a noun to describe a shocking, violent, or very upsetting event, emphasising how terrible it is
A horror train crash in the city centre left fifteen people badly injured.
horror + noun — attributive use in news headlines and reports
The newspaper described the horror attack on the school in chilling detail.
Residents spoke of their deep shock after the horror incident in their quiet neighbourhood.
Aid workers arrived in the region to assess the horror conditions left by the landslide.
The team returned from the disaster zone and described the horror scene they had witnessed.
文法句型
horror + noun (crash/attack/scene/conditions)
用法筆記
Always appears directly before a noun (attributive only) — you cannot say 'the crash was horror.' Used primarily in journalism and official reports. This is distinct from the noun sense used attributively (like 'horror film'), which labels a genre rather than emphasising shock value.