spine-chilling
Makes you shudder
Spine-chilling describes something that causes a shiver of fear or dread—the sensation of cold running down your back.
Horror films aim for spine-chilling moments.
The word applies to genuinely frightening things but also to thrilling suspense: a spine-chilling ghost story, spine-chilling screams echoed through the house.
Involuntary trembling sensation
- goosebumpsRaised skin from cold
- trembleShake from fear
- shudderConvulsive trembling from fear
- dreadIntense anticipatory fear
terror · horror · panic · fright · trepidation · hair-raising · blood-curdling · petrifying
Causing horror and disgust
- ghastlyTerrifyingly horrible or pale
- macabreDisturbing, death-obsessed
- nightmarishFrightening like bad dreams
- horrifyingCausing extreme fear
bloodcurdling · harrowing · grisly · monstrous · diabolical · fiendish · grotesque · abhorrent
Disturbingly strange
- creepyDisturbingly strange
- uncannyEerily beyond normal
- ghostlyResembling a specter
- spectralGhostlike or wavelength-related
sinister · ominous · foreboding · macabre · eldritch · gothic · otherworldly · shadowy
Occupied by ghosts
- ghostlyResembling a specter
- spectralGhostlike or wavelength-related
- apparitionVisible supernatural manifestation
- phantomInsubstantial apparition
poltergeist · wraith · banshee · revenant · possessed · cursed · demonic · occult
Suspense-driven narrative genre
- tensionStretched or strained state
- cliffhangerSuspenseful unresolved ending
- grippingHolding attention completely
- rivetingCompletely holding one's attention
nail-biting · edge-of-your-seat · page-turner · suspenseful · mystery · whodunit · intrigue · unpredictable
shiver
Involuntary trembling sensation
- goosebumpsRaised skin from cold
- trembleShake from fear
- shudderConvulsive trembling from fear
dread · terror · horror · panic · fright · trepidation · hair-raising · blood-curdling · petrifying · heart-pounding
gruesome
Causing horror and disgust
- ghastlyTerrifyingly horrible or pale
- macabreDisturbing, death-obsessed
- nightmarishFrightening like bad dreams
horrifying · bloodcurdling · harrowing · grisly · monstrous · diabolical · fiendish · grotesque · abhorrent · terrifying
eerie
Disturbingly strange
spectral · sinister · ominous · foreboding · macabre · eldritch · gothic · otherworldly · shadowy · mysterious
haunted
Occupied by ghosts
- ghostlyResembling a specter
- spectralGhostlike or wavelength-related
- apparitionVisible supernatural manifestation
phantom · poltergeist · wraith · banshee · revenant · possessed · cursed · demonic · occult · séance
thriller
Suspense-driven narrative genre
- tensionStretched or strained state
- cliffhangerSuspenseful unresolved ending
- grippingHolding attention completely
riveting · nail-biting · edge-of-your-seat · page-turner · suspenseful · mystery · whodunit · intrigue · unpredictable · psychological
- fearfear, dread, afraid, fright, frightened
- Gothic horrorghost story, haunted houses, Dracula, vampires, Frankenstein
- scary feelingsterrified, frightening, dreadful, creepiness, goosebumps
- horrorhorror, terror, fear, dread, haunted
spine-chillingcomforting
Giving emotional ease
reassuring · soothing · heartwarming · calming · cozy
spine-chillingharmless
Causing no injury
innocuous · unthreatening · benign · safe · non-threatening
spine-chillingheartwarming
Evoking tender positive feelings
feel-good · uplifting · wholesome · lighthearted · cheery
chill, spine, chilly, chilling, chilliness, spinal, chiller, chillers, spine-chiller