Terror vs. Horror

Difference Between Terror and Horror

Terror and horror are correlated words in the English language that have similar meaning. There are different connotations of the two words that are used in different contexts. There are many who believe them to be same and use them interchangeably which is incorrect. There are differences which are discussed in this article to remain any doubts in the minds of readers.

Terror is the intense fear that we feel in anticipation of something occurring while the horror is the fear we feel when something is really happening. Both emotions were taken advantage of by the great authors in their plots and Gothic novels. The authors create uncertainty in their stories in a bid to create terror in the minds of readers. As the uncertainty is built, terror in our minds increases as we are afraid of what will happen next. It occurs even when the emotion of terror is changed into horror.

Terror & horror are feelings of fear, but terror is the raw feeling of fear while horror is digested fear. The terror is caused by the danger and threat, like when you find yourself suddenly in a jungle in front of a tiger. Terror is the feeling that is experienced by people facing the terrorists. Terror activates the sympathetic nervous system and prepares the body’s response to a flight or fight. Being terrified is experienced by complete body. Horror causes nausea or disgust when someone sees something strange and terrifying. We are horrified by what we see when we look at worms inside the sore of an animal or person. Horror is an emotional experience that has more to do with things happening around us than things happening with us. We feel horrified when we watch horror movies while terror means more terrorism.

Whenever there is an earthquake or a tsunami, we feel afraid of what can happen but we feel horrified after we see the devastation. Terror is more realistic in the sense that we feel inside for something to happen while the horror is a feeling of disgust and is more disturbing and psychological in nature. There is a feeling of disgust that is absent in terror. You may feel full of horror when you see a film in which was killed with a chainsaw. On the other hand, terror is the feeling that is generated when a person tries to kill him using a chainsaw.


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