1. （攻击、事故、伤势等）令人震惊的，极其可怕的，十分严重的
If you describe a physical attack, accident, or injury as horrific, you mean that it is very bad, so that people are shocked when they see it or think about it.

1. causing fear or dread or terror

e.g. the awful war
an awful risk
dire news
a career or vengeance so direful that London was shocked
the dread presence of the headmaster
polio is no longer the dreaded disease it once was
a dreadful storm
a fearful howling
horrendous explosions shook the city
a terrible curse

Synonym: awfuldiredirefuldread(a)dreadeddreadfulfearfulfearsomefrighteninghorrendousterrible

2. grossly offensive to decency or morality
causing horror

e.g. subjected to outrageous cruelty
a hideous pattern of injustice
horrific conditions in the mining industry

Synonym: hideoushorridoutrageous