NIGHTMARE: Synonyms and Related Words. What is Another Word for NIGHTMARE?

Need another word that means the same as “nightmare”? Find 7 synonyms and 30 related words for “nightmare” in this overview.

The synonyms of “Nightmare” are: incubus, bad dream, night terrors, ordeal, horror, torment, trial

Nightmare as a Noun

Definitions of "Nightmare" as a noun

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “nightmare” as a noun can have the following definitions:

• A person or situation that is very difficult to deal with.
• A frightening or unpleasant dream.
• A very unpleasant or frightening experience or prospect.
• A terrifying or deeply upsetting dream.
• A situation resembling a terrifying dream.

Synonyms of "Nightmare" as a noun (7 Words)

bad dream	That which is below standard or expectations as of ethics or decency.
horror	Something that inspires horror something horrible. To her horror she found that a thief had stolen the machine.
incubus	A cause of difficulty or anxiety. Debt is a big incubus in developing countries.
night terrors	The time between sunset and midnight.
ordeal	An ancient test of guilt or innocence by subjection of the accused to severe pain, survival of which was taken as divine proof of innocence. Ordeals conducted in the twelfth century.
torment	A feeling of intense annoyance caused by being tormented. Their deaths have left both families in torment.
trial	The act of testing something. Clinical trials must establish whether the new hip replacements are working.

Usage Examples of "Nightmare" as a noun

• Developing thunderclouds are a balloonist's worst nightmare.
• The nightmare of racial hatred.
• I had nightmares after watching the horror movie.
• Buying wine can be a nightmare if you don't know enough about it.

Associations of "Nightmare" (30 Words)

alarm	Fill with apprehension or alarm cause to be unpleasantly surprised. The empty house alarmed him.
alarming	Frightening because of an awareness of danger. Our countryside is disappearing at an alarming rate.
awake	Mentally perceptive and responsive. Lay awake thinking about his new job.
awaken	Stop sleeping. He sighed but did not awaken.
bed	Fix firmly embed. A bed of straw.
bedtime	The time you go to bed. It was well past her bedtime.
conscious	Showing realization or recognition of something- Thomas Hardy. Conscious of his faults.
day	The part of a day spent working. In Shakespeare s day.
dream	Experience dreams during sleep. She had dreamed of a trip to Italy.
dreaming	Imaginative thoughts indulged in while awake.
hesitantly	With hesitation; in a hesitant manner. A young guard hesitantly stepped into the room.
incubus	A male demon believed to lie on sleeping persons and to have sexual intercourse with sleeping women. Debt is a big incubus in developing countries.
insomnia	An inability to sleep; chronic sleeplessness.
morning	Every morning. I ve got a meeting this morning.
nap	A card game similar to whist; usually played for stakes. She naps everyday after lunch for an hour.
oversleep	Sleep longer than intended. We talked until the early hours and consequently I overslept.
restlessly	In a restless manner.
rouse	Cause to be agitated excited or roused. The crowds were roused to fever pitch by the drama of the race.
scared	Made afraid. I was scared that people were going to take pictures of me.
sleep	Be asleep. He didn t get enough sleep last night.
sleepless	Experiencing or accompanied by sleeplessness. Another sleepless night.
slumber	Sleep. The village street slumbered under the afternoon sun.
tonight	The evening or night of the present day. Tonight is a night to remember.
uneasily	In a way that shows anxiety or discomfort. Quite luxurious enclaves coexist uneasily with slums and ghettos.
uneasy	Relating to bodily unease that causes discomfort. An uneasy silence fell on the group.
wakeful	Easily disturbed. A restless wakeful night.
waken	Stop sleeping. She wakened the child and dressed her.
waking	The state of remaining awake. He hangs between sleeping and waking.
worry	Be concerned with. I began to worry whether I had done the right thing.
worst	The greatest damage or wickedness of which one is capable. It was the worst he had ever done on a test.