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Is there a difference between the term “horrible” vs “horrific”?
Well, both words are related to horror but their connotations differ. The word “horrible” is a noun, whereas “horrific” is an adjective often used to describe something upsetting and frightening.
Horrible is mainly used to refer to something that causes horror, unpleasant or disagreeable. The term “horrible” can also be used as an adjective to refer to something causing horror, something terrible or shocking.
We have defined both words, including their origin and a few examples of sentences with “horrible” and “horrific”.
What Is the Meaning of Horrible?
The Oxford English Dictionary defines the term “horrible” as a thing that causes horror, a terrifying thing, particularly a prospective bad consequence asserted as likely to result from an act.
The word “horrible” also describes a person wearing a comic or grotesque costume in a parade of horribles.
As an adjective, “horrible” means causing horror; something terrible and shocking. It also means tremendously wrong or errant. The word “horrible” also means extremely bad or unpleasant.
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Etymology
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the term “horrible” is Middle English ‘orible’ ‘horrible’, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from the Latin ‘horribilis’ from ‘horrere’, which means “to be stiffly erect, bristle (of hair, plants, weapons).
What Is the Meaning of Horrific?
The word “horrific” is related to horror and it refers to something horrifying, causing horror; horrible.
The term “horrific” is an adjective and it refers to something that has the power to cause horror or to horrify. Horrific is a word with a stronger connotation, and it’s used to describe things that are upsetting and frightening.
Etymology
The term “horrific” was borrowed from French and Latin- from French ‘horrifique’ going back to the Middle French. The word was borrowed from the Latin word ‘horrificus’, meaning “inspiring awe or dread, frightening” from ‘horrere’.
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Horrible vs Horrific: Key Difference between Horrible and Horrific
Horrible and horrific are words that are related to horror. Both words can be used to refer to something disagreeable, not liked, upsetting, and frightening.
“Horrible” as a noun refers to a thing that causes horror, a terrifying thing, particularly a prospective bad consequence asserted as likely to result from an act.
The word “horrible” also describes a person wearing a comic or grotesque costume in a parade of horribles.
As an adjective, “horrible” means causing horror; something terrible and shocking. It also means tremendously wrong or errant. The word “horrible” also means extremely bad or unpleasant.
On the other hand, the word “horrific” is related to horror and it refers to something horrifying, causing horror; horrible.
The term “horrific” is an adjective and it refers to something that has the power to cause horror or to horrify. Horrific is a word with a stronger connotation, and it’s used to describe things that are upsetting and frightening.
Both words convey negative sentiments. The word “horrible” is generally used to describe something very unpleasant, causing discomfort or dislike.
Horrible can be used to describe various situations- from minor inconveniences to an unusual experience or encounters. Using the term “horrible” does not necessarily imply fear or terror.
For instance, when you taste a badly cooked meal, you can use the word “horrible” to describe your experience. For someone having a bad day filled with troubles and annoyances, it’s proper to refer to such a day as being a horrible day.
Horrible vs Horrific: More Differences
In terms of usage, the word “horrible” can be applied to several unpleasant experiences or qualities- from awful taste and smell to being in unpleasant situations.
Unlike “horrible”, the term “horrific” is more used in contexts involving fear, extreme negativity, and shock. The word “horrific” carries a stronger connotation associated with causing horror or shock.
The word is generally used to describe situations or events that are extremely terrifying and dreadful.
Horrific scenes refer to very gory scenes. A horrific accident directly implies an extreme level of severity and tragedy.
Horrible and horrific are words that can be used as adjectives. They both describe a negative aspect of something.
The term “horrible” may be used in situations that are undesirable or of poor quality. Horrible can also be used to describe a very poor individual performance in a competitive sport.
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Horrible vs Horrific: Comparison Chart
| Horrible | Horrific | |
| Definition | A thing that causes horror, a terrifying thing, particularly a prospective bad consequence asserted as likely to result from an act. | “Horrific” is related to horror and it refers to something horrifying, causing horror; horrible. |
| Context | Broad usage for unpleasant situations | Mainly used for situations causing horror or shock |
| Intensity | Less intense, and very unpleasant | More intense and shockingly dreadful |
| Emotional response | Discomfort and dislike | Fear or shock |
| Examples | Bad taste or a terrible experience | Gruesome accidents, gory scenes, or terrifying events. |
Horrible vs Horrific: Examples of Sentences with the terms “Horrible” and “Horrific”
Let’s look at a few examples of sentences with the terms “horrible” and “horrific”.
Simple Sentences with Horrible
- They lost in the quarter-finals to a second-division team because of their horrible performance.
- My experience dining at that restaurant was horrible.
- Today was a horrible day to go hiking in the mountains.
- The team were booed at full-time after their horrible performance.
- It was a horrible experience for me as a tourist in that city.
- The kidnapped victims explained how horrible it was to survive in the hands of their captors.
- Maria said she could cook but the taste of this food is horrible.
- Scenes from the wildfire were nothing but horrible to watch.
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Simple Sentences with Horrific
- The crime scene was so horrific that police had to prevent the victim’s family from seeing the body.
- Thoughts of bringing a new life into this horrific world made her consider a second option.
- There was a horrific accident at the factory and survivors were taken to the ER.
- The tourists were lucky to escape from a horrific crash.
- He retired from football a few years after suffering a horrific injury.
- We were just informed of a horrific accident about five miles up the road.
- The novel contains horrific stories about Vlad the Impaler.
- She had a horrific car accident that almost took her life.
Conclusion
Horrible and horrific are words that are both related to horror. Both words have different connotations, with “horrific” being a stronger adjective to describe things that are frightening, while “horrible” is often used to refer to something unpleasant, disagreeable, and not liked.
