That's a hair-raising thought.
Source: tatoeba (373356)
Hair-raising
Synonyms for "hair-raising" (13 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (3)
Strong matches (4)
Related words (6)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: bloodcurdling, exciting, frightening, frightening, nightmarish.
- Sentence evidence is available for hair-raising, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, derived_reverse.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "hair-raising".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "hair-raising"
Keep "hair-raising" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "hair-raising" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "hair-raising", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "hair-raising" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
similar
1 entriesSample sentences
6 total sentences available.
It would be a waste of energy to tell a hair-raising story to a bald man.
Source: tatoeba (752696)
In the new exhibit, “Natural History of Horror,” the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County explains the link between art and reality, and shows how filmmakers looked to science and archeology as inspiration for hair-raising movie monsters.
Source: tatoeba (8296649)
The article that David Borgenicht was reading told people how they might safely land a small plane if the pilot passes out. It got him thinking about other hair-raising situations in movies and TV shows. Of course it’s one thing for an action hero to leap from a moving motorcycle into a car or fend off a killer shark. But how would ordinary, out-of-shape readers do it? How would they wrestle free from an alligator, for example, or survive if their parachutes do not open, or escape from a mountain lion?
Source: tatoeba (10841980)
Showing 4 of 6 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "hair-raising"?
Closest matches include bloodcurdling, exciting, frightening, frightening, nightmarish.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "hair-raising"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.