Korean Dictionary
How to say "Horrified" in Korean
“Horrified” in Korean is 경악하다 (pronounced "Gyeongakhada").
경악하다
Gyeongakhada
Usage & Context
Describes extreme shock and revulsion triggered by something deeply disturbing. Stronger than 충격 (shock) — implies moral horror. Korean news uses this when describing public reactions to egregious crimes or disasters.
Example Sentence
그 끔찍한 사건을 보고 모두가 경악했어요.
Everyone was horrified by that terrible incident.
How to use 경악하다 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Horrified” is 경악하다, romanized as Gyeongakhada.
Usage tip
Learn this word together with a complete Korean sentence. Meaning often depends on particles, politeness level, and word order.
Common mistake
Do not rely only on the English meaning. Read the Korean example sentence and notice the particles, word order, and politeness level around 경악하다.
Pronunciation Guide
경 (Gyeong) sounds like 'gyung' in 'young,' but with a 'g' sound at the beginning and the 'eo' vowel like the 'o' in 'son.' 악 (ak) sounds like 'ahk' in 'ark.' 하 (ha) sounds like 'ha' in 'haha,' and 다 (da) sounds like 'da' in 'dad.' The stress is fairly even, with a slight emphasis on the first syllable.
Formal & Casual Forms
Formal (존댓말)
경악합니다
Gyeongakhamnida
Uses the formal '-(스)ㅂ니다' ending.
Casual (반말)
경악해
Gyeongakhae
Uses the casual '-아/어' ending.
More Example Sentences
Public reaction to a heinous crime reported in the news.
그 잔인한 범죄 소식에 온 국민이 경악했어요.
The entire nation was horrified by the news of that cruel crime.
Witnessing a shocking and disturbing incident.
예상치 못한 사고 현장을 보고 사람들은 경악을 금치 못했어요.
Seeing the unexpected accident scene, people couldn't help but be horrified.
A personal reaction to a deeply disturbing revelation.
그녀는 친구의 충격적인 고백에 경악하며 말을 잇지 못했어요.
She was horrified by her friend's shocking confession and couldn't speak.
Cultural Context
경악하다 describes a profound shock mixed with horror or revulsion, often triggered by something morally reprehensible or extremely tragic. It's stronger than mere '충격' (shock) and implies a deeper emotional disturbance. In Korean media, this word is frequently used to describe public reactions to major disasters, scandals, or crimes that deeply disturb the collective conscience, reflecting a shared sense of moral outrage or sorrow.
Editorial note
We review entries like 경악하다 for pronunciation, example sentence fit, and learner mistakes so the page answers more than a direct dictionary lookup.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
경악을 금치 못하다
To be unable to hide one's horror.
경악스러운 사건
A horrifying incident.
경악에 빠지다
To fall into horror.
Related Expressions
충격받다
Chunggyeokbatda
To be shocked (general shock)
놀라다
Nollada
To be surprised (general surprise)
소름 끼치다
Soreum kkichida
To get goosebumps (often from fear or disgust)
덤덤하다
Deomdeomhada
To be indifferent, unperturbed (antonym)
More Emotions Words
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