nightmare

Universal Words noun 1 a dream that is very frightening or unpleasant: He still has nightmares about the accident. * She has a recurring nightmare about being stuck in a lift. 2 ~ (for sb) an experience that is very frightening and unpleasant, or very difficult to deal with: The trip turned into a nightmare when they both got sick. * (informal) Nobody knows what's going on-it's a nightmare! * (informal) Filling in all those forms was a nightmare. * Losing a child is most people's worst nightmare. * If it goes ahead it will be the nightmare scenario (= the worst thing that could happen). * a nightmare situation / ordeal nightmarish adjective: nightmarish living conditions