Is there a word to describe the feeling of being transfixed out of horror?
Could not find an existing duplicate question, but this may be due to not know how to describe the word/feeling!
For example, given the following sentence:
Francis could not look away from the blood-drenched vampire. The blood-soaked clothes and shimmering fangs were X
And X is specifically drawing upon the fact that the appearance is horrifying, horrible, scary, etc.
Similar words that come to mind but are generic in their motivation: hypnotic, transfixing
First question on this Stack so apologies if poor formatting!
single-word-requests emotions
edited 2 days ago
JJJ
6,21392646
asked 2 days ago
Reputable MisnomerReputable Misnomer
1434
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add a comment |
Could not find an existing duplicate question, but this may be due to not know how to describe the word/feeling!
For example, given the following sentence:
Francis could not look away from the blood-drenched vampire. The blood-soaked clothes and shimmering fangs were X
And X is specifically drawing upon the fact that the appearance is horrifying, horrible, scary, etc.
Similar words that come to mind but are generic in their motivation: hypnotic, transfixing
First question on this Stack so apologies if poor formatting!
single-word-requests emotions
edited 2 days ago
JJJ
6,21392646
asked 2 days ago
Reputable MisnomerReputable Misnomer
1434
New contributor
Reputable Misnomer is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
Your own suggestion 'transfixed' (or transfixing) is as good as the others. A thesaurus lookup on transfix gives a lot more. None of them are exactly 'transfix' and 'horror', but many are related to fear. 'scared stiff' is exactly it, but not a present participle which is the slot you gave.
– Mitch
yesterday
add a comment |
Could not find an existing duplicate question, but this may be due to not know how to describe the word/feeling!
For example, given the following sentence:
Francis could not look away from the blood-drenched vampire. The blood-soaked clothes and shimmering fangs were X
And X is specifically drawing upon the fact that the appearance is horrifying, horrible, scary, etc.
Similar words that come to mind but are generic in their motivation: hypnotic, transfixing
First question on this Stack so apologies if poor formatting!
single-word-requests emotions
edited 2 days ago
JJJ
6,21392646
asked 2 days ago
Reputable MisnomerReputable Misnomer
1434
New contributor
Reputable Misnomer is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Could not find an existing duplicate question, but this may be due to not know how to describe the word/feeling!
For example, given the following sentence:
Francis could not look away from the blood-drenched vampire. The blood-soaked clothes and shimmering fangs were X
And X is specifically drawing upon the fact that the appearance is horrifying, horrible, scary, etc.
Similar words that come to mind but are generic in their motivation: hypnotic, transfixing
First question on this Stack so apologies if poor formatting!
single-word-requests emotions
single-word-requests emotions
edited 2 days ago
JJJ
6,21392646
asked 2 days ago
Reputable MisnomerReputable Misnomer
1434
New contributor
Reputable Misnomer is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 2 days ago
JJJ
6,21392646
asked 2 days ago
Reputable MisnomerReputable Misnomer
1434
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Reputable Misnomer is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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edited 2 days ago
JJJ
6,21392646
edited 2 days ago
JJJ
6,21392646
edited 2 days ago
JJJ
6,21392646
6,21392646
asked 2 days ago
Reputable MisnomerReputable Misnomer
1434
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asked 2 days ago
Reputable MisnomerReputable Misnomer
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asked 2 days ago
Reputable MisnomerReputable Misnomer
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1434
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1
Your own suggestion 'transfixed' (or transfixing) is as good as the others. A thesaurus lookup on transfix gives a lot more. None of them are exactly 'transfix' and 'horror', but many are related to fear. 'scared stiff' is exactly it, but not a present participle which is the slot you gave.
– Mitch
yesterday
add a comment |
1
Your own suggestion 'transfixed' (or transfixing) is as good as the others. A thesaurus lookup on transfix gives a lot more. None of them are exactly 'transfix' and 'horror', but many are related to fear. 'scared stiff' is exactly it, but not a present participle which is the slot you gave.
– Mitch
yesterday
1
1
Your own suggestion 'transfixed' (or transfixing) is as good as the others. A thesaurus lookup on transfix gives a lot more. None of them are exactly 'transfix' and 'horror', but many are related to fear. 'scared stiff' is exactly it, but not a present participle which is the slot you gave.
– Mitch
yesterday
Your own suggestion 'transfixed' (or transfixing) is as good as the others. A thesaurus lookup on transfix gives a lot more. None of them are exactly 'transfix' and 'horror', but many are related to fear. 'scared stiff' is exactly it, but not a present participle which is the slot you gave.
– Mitch
yesterday
add a comment |
5 Answers
5
active
oldest
votes
According to the Oxford online dictionary the verb to petrify means by its primary definition
Change (organic matter) into a stony substance by encrusting or replacing it with a calcareous, siliceous, or other mineral deposit.
However it has the secondary, originally metaphorical, definition of
Make (someone) so frightened that they are unable to move
The the present paticiple of to petrify is petrifying which would fit well into your sentence.
answered 2 days ago
BoldBenBoldBen
6,255919
Ah, if only there was a mix between @Ibf's 'stunned' suggestion and this! I think I am going to mark your answer as correct as it did answer my question. Thank you so much!
– Reputable Misnomer
2 days ago
2
True, but quite the same as transfixed, which fits the context.
– Kris
yesterday
2
@Kris - Hmm, you can definitely be transfixed by the beauty of something, I'm not sure I've ever heard of someone being petrified by beauty, other than in the sense of being too scared to talk to them.
– AndyT
yesterday
1
@kris That is an alternative but the ODO definition of transfix includes transfixtion with horror, wonder, or astonishment whereas the dictionary definition of petrify includes only petrification by fear in the metaphorical sense.
– BoldBen
yesterday
add a comment |
As in:
The blood-soaked clothes and shimmering fangs stunned him.
stunned TFD
- to shock or overwhelm
- to surprise or astound
answered 2 days ago
lbflbf
22.2k22575
See my comment at BoldBen.
– Kris
yesterday
add a comment |
Frozen also carries the sense of "blood running cold with fear"
answered yesterday
rharargrhararg
111
New contributor
rhararg is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
2
Please provide a source for your answer.
– JJJ
yesterday
add a comment |
I don't have an issue with the correct answer, but I don't think "petrifying" actually scans very well. I'm surprised nobody mentioned:
Mesmerising
Capturing one's complete attention as if by magic.
‘a mesmerizing stare’
answered yesterday
Richard HansellRichard Hansell
1112
New contributor
Richard Hansell is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
Mesmerising doesn't capture the element of horror, but to be fair, neither do the OP's examples along that vein.
– Théophile
yesterday
add a comment |
You could use horror-struck (or horror-stricken). The word corresponds exactly to the question in the title (i.e., "the feeling of being transfixed from horror"), although your example sentence is slightly different in that it asks for a word that describes the source of horror.
So although we couldn't say that the "bload-soaked clothes were horror-striking", we could say that "Francis was horror-struck by the bload-soaked clothes".
horror-struck
horrified so as to be overwhelmed or incapacitated
answered yesterday
ThéophileThéophile
73349
add a comment |
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5 Answers
5
active
oldest
votes
5 Answers
5
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
According to the Oxford online dictionary the verb to petrify means by its primary definition
Change (organic matter) into a stony substance by encrusting or replacing it with a calcareous, siliceous, or other mineral deposit.
However it has the secondary, originally metaphorical, definition of
Make (someone) so frightened that they are unable to move
The the present paticiple of to petrify is petrifying which would fit well into your sentence.
answered 2 days ago
BoldBenBoldBen
6,255919
Ah, if only there was a mix between @Ibf's 'stunned' suggestion and this! I think I am going to mark your answer as correct as it did answer my question. Thank you so much!
– Reputable Misnomer
2 days ago
2
True, but quite the same as transfixed, which fits the context.
– Kris
yesterday
2
@Kris - Hmm, you can definitely be transfixed by the beauty of something, I'm not sure I've ever heard of someone being petrified by beauty, other than in the sense of being too scared to talk to them.
– AndyT
yesterday
1
@kris That is an alternative but the ODO definition of transfix includes transfixtion with horror, wonder, or astonishment whereas the dictionary definition of petrify includes only petrification by fear in the metaphorical sense.
– BoldBen
yesterday
add a comment |
According to the Oxford online dictionary the verb to petrify means by its primary definition
Change (organic matter) into a stony substance by encrusting or replacing it with a calcareous, siliceous, or other mineral deposit.
However it has the secondary, originally metaphorical, definition of
Make (someone) so frightened that they are unable to move
The the present paticiple of to petrify is petrifying which would fit well into your sentence.
answered 2 days ago
BoldBenBoldBen
6,255919
Ah, if only there was a mix between @Ibf's 'stunned' suggestion and this! I think I am going to mark your answer as correct as it did answer my question. Thank you so much!
– Reputable Misnomer
2 days ago
2
True, but quite the same as transfixed, which fits the context.
– Kris
yesterday
2
@Kris - Hmm, you can definitely be transfixed by the beauty of something, I'm not sure I've ever heard of someone being petrified by beauty, other than in the sense of being too scared to talk to them.
– AndyT
yesterday
1
@kris That is an alternative but the ODO definition of transfix includes transfixtion with horror, wonder, or astonishment whereas the dictionary definition of petrify includes only petrification by fear in the metaphorical sense.
– BoldBen
yesterday
add a comment |
According to the Oxford online dictionary the verb to petrify means by its primary definition
Change (organic matter) into a stony substance by encrusting or replacing it with a calcareous, siliceous, or other mineral deposit.
However it has the secondary, originally metaphorical, definition of
Make (someone) so frightened that they are unable to move
The the present paticiple of to petrify is petrifying which would fit well into your sentence.
answered 2 days ago
BoldBenBoldBen
6,255919
According to the Oxford online dictionary the verb to petrify means by its primary definition
Change (organic matter) into a stony substance by encrusting or replacing it with a calcareous, siliceous, or other mineral deposit.
However it has the secondary, originally metaphorical, definition of
Make (someone) so frightened that they are unable to move
The the present paticiple of to petrify is petrifying which would fit well into your sentence.
answered 2 days ago
BoldBenBoldBen
6,255919
answered 2 days ago
BoldBenBoldBen
6,255919
answered 2 days ago
BoldBenBoldBen
6,255919
answered 2 days ago
BoldBenBoldBen
6,255919
6,255919
Ah, if only there was a mix between @Ibf's 'stunned' suggestion and this! I think I am going to mark your answer as correct as it did answer my question. Thank you so much!
– Reputable Misnomer
2 days ago
2
True, but quite the same as transfixed, which fits the context.
– Kris
yesterday
2
@Kris - Hmm, you can definitely be transfixed by the beauty of something, I'm not sure I've ever heard of someone being petrified by beauty, other than in the sense of being too scared to talk to them.
– AndyT
yesterday
1
@kris That is an alternative but the ODO definition of transfix includes transfixtion with horror, wonder, or astonishment whereas the dictionary definition of petrify includes only petrification by fear in the metaphorical sense.
– BoldBen
yesterday
add a comment |
Ah, if only there was a mix between @Ibf's 'stunned' suggestion and this! I think I am going to mark your answer as correct as it did answer my question. Thank you so much!
– Reputable Misnomer
2 days ago
2
True, but quite the same as transfixed, which fits the context.
– Kris
yesterday
2
@Kris - Hmm, you can definitely be transfixed by the beauty of something, I'm not sure I've ever heard of someone being petrified by beauty, other than in the sense of being too scared to talk to them.
– AndyT
yesterday
1
@kris That is an alternative but the ODO definition of transfix includes transfixtion with horror, wonder, or astonishment whereas the dictionary definition of petrify includes only petrification by fear in the metaphorical sense.
– BoldBen
yesterday
Ah, if only there was a mix between @Ibf's 'stunned' suggestion and this! I think I am going to mark your answer as correct as it did answer my question. Thank you so much!
– Reputable Misnomer
2 days ago
Ah, if only there was a mix between @Ibf's 'stunned' suggestion and this! I think I am going to mark your answer as correct as it did answer my question. Thank you so much!
– Reputable Misnomer
2 days ago
2
2
True, but quite the same as transfixed, which fits the context.
– Kris
yesterday
True, but quite the same as transfixed, which fits the context.
– Kris
yesterday
2
2
@Kris - Hmm, you can definitely be transfixed by the beauty of something, I'm not sure I've ever heard of someone being petrified by beauty, other than in the sense of being too scared to talk to them.
– AndyT
yesterday
@Kris - Hmm, you can definitely be transfixed by the beauty of something, I'm not sure I've ever heard of someone being petrified by beauty, other than in the sense of being too scared to talk to them.
– AndyT
yesterday
1
1
@kris That is an alternative but the ODO definition of transfix includes transfixtion with horror, wonder, or astonishment whereas the dictionary definition of petrify includes only petrification by fear in the metaphorical sense.
– BoldBen
yesterday
@kris That is an alternative but the ODO definition of transfix includes transfixtion with horror, wonder, or astonishment whereas the dictionary definition of petrify includes only petrification by fear in the metaphorical sense.
– BoldBen
yesterday
add a comment |
As in:
The blood-soaked clothes and shimmering fangs stunned him.
stunned TFD
- to shock or overwhelm
- to surprise or astound
answered 2 days ago
lbflbf
22.2k22575
See my comment at BoldBen.
– Kris
yesterday
add a comment |
As in:
The blood-soaked clothes and shimmering fangs stunned him.
stunned TFD
- to shock or overwhelm
- to surprise or astound
answered 2 days ago
lbflbf
22.2k22575
See my comment at BoldBen.
– Kris
yesterday
add a comment |
As in:
The blood-soaked clothes and shimmering fangs stunned him.
stunned TFD
- to shock or overwhelm
- to surprise or astound
answered 2 days ago
lbflbf
22.2k22575
As in:
The blood-soaked clothes and shimmering fangs stunned him.
stunned TFD
- to shock or overwhelm
- to surprise or astound
answered 2 days ago
lbflbf
22.2k22575
answered 2 days ago
lbflbf
22.2k22575
answered 2 days ago
lbflbf
22.2k22575
answered 2 days ago
lbflbf
22.2k22575
22.2k22575
See my comment at BoldBen.
– Kris
yesterday
add a comment |
See my comment at BoldBen.
– Kris
yesterday
See my comment at BoldBen.
– Kris
yesterday
See my comment at BoldBen.
– Kris
yesterday
add a comment |
Frozen also carries the sense of "blood running cold with fear"
answered yesterday
rharargrhararg
111
New contributor
rhararg is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
2
Please provide a source for your answer.
– JJJ
yesterday
add a comment |
Frozen also carries the sense of "blood running cold with fear"
answered yesterday
rharargrhararg
111
New contributor
rhararg is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
2
Please provide a source for your answer.
– JJJ
yesterday
add a comment |
Frozen also carries the sense of "blood running cold with fear"
answered yesterday
rharargrhararg
111
New contributor
rhararg is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Frozen also carries the sense of "blood running cold with fear"
answered yesterday
rharargrhararg
111
New contributor
rhararg is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered yesterday
rharargrhararg
111
New contributor
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Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered yesterday
rharargrhararg
111
answered yesterday
rharargrhararg
111
111
New contributor
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New contributor
rhararg is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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2
Please provide a source for your answer.
– JJJ
yesterday
add a comment |
2
Please provide a source for your answer.
– JJJ
yesterday
2
2
Please provide a source for your answer.
– JJJ
yesterday
Please provide a source for your answer.
– JJJ
yesterday
add a comment |
I don't have an issue with the correct answer, but I don't think "petrifying" actually scans very well. I'm surprised nobody mentioned:
Mesmerising
Capturing one's complete attention as if by magic.
‘a mesmerizing stare’
answered yesterday
Richard HansellRichard Hansell
1112
New contributor
Richard Hansell is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
Mesmerising doesn't capture the element of horror, but to be fair, neither do the OP's examples along that vein.
– Théophile
yesterday
add a comment |
I don't have an issue with the correct answer, but I don't think "petrifying" actually scans very well. I'm surprised nobody mentioned:
Mesmerising
Capturing one's complete attention as if by magic.
‘a mesmerizing stare’
answered yesterday
Richard HansellRichard Hansell
1112
New contributor
Richard Hansell is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
Mesmerising doesn't capture the element of horror, but to be fair, neither do the OP's examples along that vein.
– Théophile
yesterday
add a comment |
I don't have an issue with the correct answer, but I don't think "petrifying" actually scans very well. I'm surprised nobody mentioned:
Mesmerising
Capturing one's complete attention as if by magic.
‘a mesmerizing stare’
answered yesterday
Richard HansellRichard Hansell
1112
New contributor
Richard Hansell is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I don't have an issue with the correct answer, but I don't think "petrifying" actually scans very well. I'm surprised nobody mentioned:
Mesmerising
Capturing one's complete attention as if by magic.
‘a mesmerizing stare’
answered yesterday
Richard HansellRichard Hansell
1112
New contributor
Richard Hansell is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered yesterday
Richard HansellRichard Hansell
1112
New contributor
Richard Hansell is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered yesterday
Richard HansellRichard Hansell
1112
answered yesterday
Richard HansellRichard Hansell
1112
1112
New contributor
Richard Hansell is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Richard Hansell is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Richard Hansell is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
Mesmerising doesn't capture the element of horror, but to be fair, neither do the OP's examples along that vein.
– Théophile
yesterday
add a comment |
1
Mesmerising doesn't capture the element of horror, but to be fair, neither do the OP's examples along that vein.
– Théophile
yesterday
1
1
Mesmerising doesn't capture the element of horror, but to be fair, neither do the OP's examples along that vein.
– Théophile
yesterday
Mesmerising doesn't capture the element of horror, but to be fair, neither do the OP's examples along that vein.
– Théophile
yesterday
add a comment |
You could use horror-struck (or horror-stricken). The word corresponds exactly to the question in the title (i.e., "the feeling of being transfixed from horror"), although your example sentence is slightly different in that it asks for a word that describes the source of horror.
So although we couldn't say that the "bload-soaked clothes were horror-striking", we could say that "Francis was horror-struck by the bload-soaked clothes".
horror-struck
horrified so as to be overwhelmed or incapacitated
answered yesterday
ThéophileThéophile
73349
add a comment |
You could use horror-struck (or horror-stricken). The word corresponds exactly to the question in the title (i.e., "the feeling of being transfixed from horror"), although your example sentence is slightly different in that it asks for a word that describes the source of horror.
So although we couldn't say that the "bload-soaked clothes were horror-striking", we could say that "Francis was horror-struck by the bload-soaked clothes".
horror-struck
horrified so as to be overwhelmed or incapacitated
answered yesterday
ThéophileThéophile
73349
add a comment |
You could use horror-struck (or horror-stricken). The word corresponds exactly to the question in the title (i.e., "the feeling of being transfixed from horror"), although your example sentence is slightly different in that it asks for a word that describes the source of horror.
So although we couldn't say that the "bload-soaked clothes were horror-striking", we could say that "Francis was horror-struck by the bload-soaked clothes".
horror-struck
horrified so as to be overwhelmed or incapacitated
answered yesterday
ThéophileThéophile
73349
You could use horror-struck (or horror-stricken). The word corresponds exactly to the question in the title (i.e., "the feeling of being transfixed from horror"), although your example sentence is slightly different in that it asks for a word that describes the source of horror.
So although we couldn't say that the "bload-soaked clothes were horror-striking", we could say that "Francis was horror-struck by the bload-soaked clothes".
horror-struck
horrified so as to be overwhelmed or incapacitated
answered yesterday
ThéophileThéophile
73349
answered yesterday
ThéophileThéophile
73349
answered yesterday
ThéophileThéophile
73349
answered yesterday
ThéophileThéophile
73349
73349
add a comment |
add a comment |
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Your own suggestion 'transfixed' (or transfixing) is as good as the others. A thesaurus lookup on transfix gives a lot more. None of them are exactly 'transfix' and 'horror', but many are related to fear. 'scared stiff' is exactly it, but not a present participle which is the slot you gave.
– Mitch
yesterday