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We trace the origins of macabre to the name of the Book of Maccabees, which is included in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox canons of the Old Testament and in the Protestant Apocrypha. Sections of this biblical text address both the deaths of faithful people asked to renounce their religion, and the manner in which the dead should be properly commemorated. In medieval France, representations of these passages were performed as a procession or dance which became known as the "dance of death" or "dance Maccabee"; the latter was spelled in several different ways, including danse de Macabré. In English, macabre was originally used in reference to this "dance of death" but then gradually broadened in use to describe anything grim or horrific. Today macabre functions as a synonym of gruesome or repulsive, always with a connection to the physical aspects of death and suffering.
Examples of macabre in a Sentence
Colson Thayer, People.com, 6 Mar. 2025
In a macabre form of poetic justice, Dugina’s death has become the subject of the sort of conspiracy theories that her father traffics in.
—James Verini, The New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2025
Visiter Awards submissions Craft a macabre tale inspired by Edgar Allan Poe and submit it to the 6th annual Saturday Visiter Awards at the Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum, 200 N. Amity St.
—John Coffren, Baltimore Sun, 27 Feb. 2025
The song was largely recognized for its dark, macabre humor — part of the Grammy-winning country music rebel’s famed songwriting style.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Macabre.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/macabre. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.
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macabre
adjective
-ˈkäb-ər
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