From subtle chills to outright terror, the right word makes all the difference. This Thesaurus of words will allow you to bring nightmares to life.

To read more about Horror Prompting, read our blog article here!

Thesaurus

Spooky Styles and Subjects

We've included the words below for you to start with your crafting horror prompts. They include specific styles and subjects that, when included, will make a drastic difference in your output.

Styles and Subject Examples

Abandoned asylum

Abstract Horror

Analog Horror

Anatomical Illustration

Anglo Gothic

Arachnophobia

Biohorror

Bizarro Fiction

Black Death

Black Metal

Blood moon

Bone Punk

Bonecore

Changelingcore

Chiaroscuro

Coffinwood

Cryptid

Cursed

Cybergoth

Cursed

Cybergoth

Danse Macabre

Dark Alchemy

Dark Fantasy Art

Dark Nautical

Dark Nymphet

Dark Paradise

Dark Romanticism

Dark Surrealism

Dark Synth

DarkErrorcore

Deadpunk

Deathcore

Demonic

Dethereal

Eerie woods

Eldritch

Ghostcore

Ghostpunk

Gothcore

Gothic Art

Gothic Horror

Gothic Noir

Gothic Punk

Grotesque Imagery

Halloween

Hauntology

Hellmouth

Hipness Purgatory

Horror Academia

Infested catacombs

Lovecraftian Art

Macabre Art

Mallgoth

Memento Mori

Necromancy

Nightmare

Nightmarish

Nu-Goth

Nyctophilia

Paranormal

Psycho Horror

Romantic Goth

Rotting undead

Skeletal

Spectral

Supernatural

Tenebrism

Vanitas

Visceral Detail

Voodoo

Weirdcore

Witch House

Wraithlike

Zombie

Zombified

Dreary Descriptors

The words below allow you to give a new meaning to the subjects you include in your prompt. For example: a simple “Forest” will give you a different result than a “Haunted Forest”. Shift Words like "Disturbing," "Demonic," "Shadowy," and "Spectral" can magnify the fear factor of any basic term.

Dreary Descriptor Examples

Apparition

Blood

Creepy

Dark

Decaying

Demonic

Distorted

Disturbing

Eerie

Foreboding

Frightening

Ghastly

Ghostly

Gloomy

Grim

Grotesque

Grunge

Haunted

Malevolent

Monstrous

Morbid

Mutated

Night

Nightmare

Otherworldly

Rotten

Shadowy

Sinister

Spectral

Spooky

Tenebrous

Visceral

Horror Artists

Artists like "HR Giger" and "Zdzislaw Beksinski" have paved the way with their distinctive styles, creating masterpieces that evoke fear, fascination, and admiration. From "Tim Burton's" quirky gothic tales to "Junji Ito's" spiraling nightmares, these artists bring our darkest fears to life.

Horror Artist Examples

Alan Schaller

Alexandros Pyromallis

Anne Stokes

Ben Goossens

Ben Templesmith

Charles Addams

Clive Barker

Hieronymus Bosch

Horror Artists

HR Giger

Ian Miller

Ivan Albright

Jose Guadalupe Pasada

Junji Ito

Michael Whelan

Salem Krieger

Tim Burton

Trevor Roberts

Wes Benscoter

Zdzislaw Beksinski