Synonyms for

Nightmare

Verb / ˈnaɪˌtmer / Another word for nightmare — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

A bad dream that usually wakes a person up and makes them feel afraid or upset.

Synonyms & similar words

incubus incubus phobia delusion

Synonyms by register

Formal

phantasm specter hallucination delusion

Informal

bad dream scary dream bogeyman

Literary

incubus mare spectre

Antonyms

dream bliss joy paradise delight utopia serenity

Common collocations

  • terrible nightmare
  • awful nightmare
  • vivid nightmare
  • nightmare scenario
  • nightmare fuel
  • living nightmare
  • nightmare begins
  • nightmare continues

Word family

noun nightmare
adjective nightmarish

Usage note

While 'nightmare' can refer to a frightening dream, it is also commonly used metaphorically to describe a very unpleasant or difficult situation.

Example sentences

  1. 1. She had a nightmare about monsters under her bed.
  2. 2. He wakes up sweating every time he has a nightmare.
  3. 3. I don't like watching horror movies because they give me nightmares.
  4. 4. The little girl was scared to go back to sleep after her nightmare.
  5. 5. Her nightmare was so vivid that she couldn't shake it off all day.

Quotes

  • 1. 'A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.' - John Lennon
  • 2. 'The nightmare always begins with a phone call.' - Libba Bray
  • 3. 'The nightmare of the atomic bomb is just the beginning.' - Walter Russell Mead

Try these popular words

the and that for you with was this are have not from

Practice

Play the Word Synonyms game · Choose level (start near 1)

Worksheets

Grade 4 · Grade 5 · Grade 6

Topics

Guides

Explore more words