nightmare

/ˈnaɪtmeə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈnaɪtmer/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈnīt-ˌmer/ (ame, mw)

nightmare — noun

  • nightmaresingular
  • nightmaresplural

1. a dream that causes strong feelings of fear or distress, often vivid enough to w

1.名詞B1
釋義

a dream that causes strong feelings of fear or distress, often vivid enough to wake the person up

例句

After the horror film, Mert had a nightmare about being chased through a dark forest.

have a nightmare about [something] — common verb + preposition pattern

Kwame woke in a cold sweat, shaken by a terrifying nightmare that felt completely real.

同義詞
  • bad dream

    less intense; covers any unpleasant dream, not just terrifying ones

  • sleep terror

    medical term for a more intense disorder that can involve screaming and thrashing

反義詞
  • sweet dream

    informal; a pleasant dream, often used as a bedtime wish (good night, sweet dreams)

  • pleasant dream

    neutral; a dream that leaves the sleeper feeling happy or peaceful

文法句型

have + a + nightmare

a + adjective + nightmare

用法筆記

Often modified by adjectives such as terrifying, frightening, bad, or recurring to indicate the nature or frequency of the dream. This sense is always countable — you can have one nightmare or many nightmares, but not 'some nightmare' as an uncountable mass.

常見錯誤

❌I had a nightmare about missing the bus this morning.
✅I had a bad dream about missing the bus this morning.
💡'nightmare' describes a deeply frightening dream, not a mildly unpleasant one.

2. a situation, event, or experience that is extremely unpleasant, frightening, or

2.名詞B1
釋義

a situation, event, or experience that is extremely unpleasant, frightening, or difficult to manage, like a very bad dream

例句

The school trip became a nightmare when the bus broke down miles from help.

become a nightmare — verb + complement pattern for sudden worsening

For Mateo, the first month alone in a new city was a total nightmare.

total / absolute nightmare — common intensifier collocations

同義詞
  • ordeal

    emphasises a long, painful test of endurance rather than a single bad moment

  • horror

    stresses the shock or terror of the experience; often used with 'story' (war horror, horror story)

  • disaster

    suggests complete failure or ruin, not just unpleasantness

反義詞
  • dream

    figurative use meaning the ideal or perfect situation (the job was a dream)

  • breeze

    informal; something that is very easy to manage

文法句型

be + a + nightmare

a + adjective + nightmare

用法筆記

Frequently used with intensifying adjectives such as total, absolute, complete, or real. Also common in compound expressions like logistical nightmare, bureaucratic nightmare, or PR nightmare, where the noun before nightmare names the source of the difficulty.

常見錯誤

❌Having to wait five minutes for my coffee was a nightmare.
✅Waiting five minutes for my coffee was annoying.
💡'nightmare' implies serious distress or difficulty, not a minor inconvenience.