nightmarish

nightmarish — adjective

1. used to describe an experience, event, or situation that causes so much fear, wo

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

used to describe an experience, event, or situation that causes so much fear, worry, or unhappiness that it feels like a bad dream rather than real life.

Example

The traffic jam on the highway was nightmarish — Yusuf took four hours to drive home.

collocation: nightmarish traffic / nightmarish journey

Aiko described her job interview as a nightmarish experience where nothing went right.

collocation: nightmarish experience

Common collocations
  • nightmarish experience
  • nightmarish journey
  • nightmarish traffic
  • nightmarish situation
  • nightmarish scene
  • nightmarish conditions
  • nightmarish vision
  • nightmarish scenario
  • absolutely nightmarish
  • truly nightmarish
  • find something nightmarish
  • become nightmarish
Synonyms
  • terrifying

    focuses more on immediate fear and danger; less on the surreal, dreamlike quality

  • horrifying

    adds a sense of shock or moral disgust beyond mere fear

  • dreadful

    milder and more old-fashioned; describes anything very bad, not necessarily dreamlike

  • hellish

    much stronger and more informal; compares the experience to hell, can be offensive

Antonyms
  • peaceful

    describes a calm, untroubled situation

  • pleasant

    describes something enjoyable and agreeable

Grammar Patterns

it + be + nightmarish + that-clause

nightmarish + noun

Usage Note

Commonly describes situations, experiences, journeys, or conditions. Not usually used directly for people — say 'terrifying' or 'frightening' instead of 'nightmarish' when describing a person.

Common Mistakes

I had a nightmarish last night.
I had a nightmare last night.
'nightmarish' is an adjective, not a noun; use 'nightmare' for the dream itself.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Nightmarish, terrifying, and horrifying all describe extremely unpleasant experiences, but each highlights a different quality. Terrifying focuses on direct, immediate fear — something that makes you feel physically threatened ('a terrifying rollercoaster ride'). Horrifying adds shock or moral disgust — often used for acts of violence, cruelty, or tragedy ('a horrifying war scene'). Nightmarish emphasizes a surreal, dreamlike quality of distress: things feel unreal, inescapable, and emotionally draining rather than simply dangerous. Dreadful is milder and somewhat old-fashioned, used broadly for anything very bad, especially in British English ('dreadful weather'). Hellish is informal and extremely strong, comparing the experience to hell itself — useful for emphasis but potentially offensive. For example: a crowded hospital waiting room during an emergency is a nightmarish experience; being chased by a wild animal is terrifying; learning about a cruel crime is horrifying.

terrifying ↗horrifyingdreadful ↗hellish

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • like a nightmarish scene from a movie
  • a nightmarish turn of events

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishModern English

Formed from 'nightmare' (the bad dream) + the suffix '-ish' (meaning 'like' or 'having the quality of'). The word 'nightmare' itself comes from Old English 'mare' — an evil spirit believed to sit on sleepers' chests and cause suffocation and bad dreams. By the 1800s the meaning had shifted to describe a frightening dream, and by the early 1900s 'nightmarish' was used for any experience that felt as disturbing as one.