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1->''"Creator/StephenKing once wrote that 'Nightmares exist outside of logic, and there's little fun to be had in explanations; they're antithetical to the poetry of fear.' In a horror story, the victim keeps asking 'Why?' But there can be no explanation, and there shouldn't be one. The unanswered mystery is what stays with us the longest, and it's what we'll remember in the end."''
2-->-- ''VideoGame/AlanWake'', "[[Recap/AlanWakeEp1Nightmare Nightmare]]"
3
4Tropes that are associated with {{Horror}} stories, from any medium.
5
6A SubGenre of SpeculativeFiction as many contain supernatural elements.
7----
8!!Subcategories and Trope Indexes
9+ '''{{Horror}}''': The whole genre itself.
10+ FridgeHorror: FridgeBrilliance meets NightmareFuel.
11+ NightmareFuel: Scary moments to be found in any work of media.
12+ PlayedForHorror: A trope is used for scary effect.
13+ RuleOfScary: Something doesn't have to make much sense as long as it's creepy.
14
15!!Genres/types
16+ ActionHorror: Horror meets the ActionGenre, in which terrifying monsters are confronted by well-armed, well-equipped protagonists who the audience knows are capable of fighting back.
17+ AlienWorks: Stories themed around extraterrestrial life.
18+ AnalogHorror: Horror in the format of TV broadcasts and VHS tapes (with occasional film reels).
19+ BodyHorror: Horror derived from disturbing disfigurement or alteration of someone's body.
20+ CosmicHorrorStory: A sub-genre popularized by Creator/HPLovecraft, which revolves around [[EldritchAbomination mysterious, terrifyingly powerful entities]] that cannot be safely understood by human beings.
21+ {{Creepypasta}}: Works of horror fiction that are posted and spread on the Internet, typically written in a first-person narrative to give the appearance of being a report on events that actually happened and therefore make things especially scary.
22+ DarkFantasy: {{Fantasy}} stories that are played for horror, often involving the use of occultist dark magic and malevolent supernatural beings.
23+ DemonWorks: Stories themed around [[OurDemonsAreDifferent creatures spawned from Hell]].
24+ DigitalHorror: Horror utilizing digital media.
25+ DragonWorks: Stories themed around [[OurDragonsAreDifferent giant reptilian beasts]].
26+ GhostFiction: Stories themed around [[OurGhostsAreDifferent the spirits of dead people]].
27+ GothicHorror: A classic horror sub-genre mostly associated with {{Romanticis|m}}t literature of the 19th century.
28+ HorrorComedy: {{Comedy}} stories which parody horror tropes for laughs ([[BlackComedy often in a very morbid manner]]).
29+ {{Horrorcore}}: Horror-themed HipHop.
30+ MedicalHorror: Horror derived from terrible physical illnesses or injuries being inflicted on living beings.
31+ MonsterMedia: Stories featuring [[OurMonstersAreDifferent miscellaneous or multiple types of monsters]].
32+ MummyMedia: Stories themed around [[{{Mummy}} gauze-wrapped Egyptian corpses]].
33+ ParasiticHorror: Horror from something gross living off of you. Or ''inside'' you.
34+ PsychologicalHorror: Horror derived from the abuse of someone's fragile mind and unstable emotions, rather than threats from more physical forms of danger.
35+ PsychosexualHorror: A subgenre that explores psychosexual development as a subject matter, including themes of sexual development and sexual activities.
36+ ReligiousHorror: Horror derived from theological or mythological themes.
37+ SciFiHorror: ScienceFiction stories that are played for horror, often involving the use of futuristic technology and space/time travel gone horribly wrong.
38+ SlasherMovie: A very popular sub-genre of horror films, involving some sort of monster or villain hunting down and killing people in incredibly gruesome ways.
39+ SplatterHorror: Scary stories that use explicit blood, gore, and violence for shock factor.
40+ SpookyKidsMedia: Horror aimed at children.
41+ SuperheroHorror: When SuperheroTropes are played for horror. Expect the {{superhero}}es in this story to face off against some unusually terrifying {{supervillain}}s.
42+ SurvivalHorror: Mostly a video game genre, in which the protagonist must try to ''survive'' encounters with enemies rather than directly fighting them head-on.
43+ VampireFiction: Stories themed around [[OurVampiresAreDifferent immortal blood-drinkers]].
44+ WerebeastWorks: Stories themed around [[OurWerebeastsAreDifferent people who transform into beasts]].
45+ WerewolfWorks: Stories themed around [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent people who transform into wolves, specifically]].
46+ WitchWorks: Stories themed around [[OurWitchesAreDifferent female magic-users]].
47+ ZombieStories: Stories themed around [[OurZombiesAreDifferent corpses that walk as if they live]].
48
49!!Stock characters
50+ AlienTropes: Tropes about extraterrestrial beings, which are often depicted as [[AliensAreBastards malevolent invaders]], mindless savage beasts, or BodyHorror [[TheAssimilator assimilators]], usually thanks to their BizarreAlienBiology. These monsters are common in SciFiHorror stories.
51+ DragonTropes: Tropes about [[OurDragonsAreDifferent giant reptilian beasts]], which have often been depicted as dangerous man-eating predators, thus making them fairly common monsters in horror stories that may lean more towards DarkFantasy.
52+ EldritchAbomination: A bizarrely horrifying, otherworldly monster that is beyond human understanding. Traditionally associated with Lovecraftian-style CosmicHorror, now found in a wide variety of horror, fantasy and science fiction settings.
53+ HauntedIndex: Tropes about the [[OurGhostsAreDifferent ethereal spirits of dead people]].
54+ HunterOfMonsters: A professional who knows how to fight and kill evil monsters. They are usually the main hero of any ActionHorror story.
55+ InfernalTropes: Tropes pertaining to {{hell}}ish realms, along with the damned souls and [[OurDemonsAreDifferent devilish beings]] who reside there.
56+ MummyTropes: Tropes about [[{{Mummy}} undead corpses preserved in gauze]].
57+ TropesOfTheLivingDead: Tropes about those [[OurZombiesAreDifferent generic walking corpses]].
58+ UndeadIndex: Tropes about [[TheUndead all kinds of monsters which are supposed to be dead but won't stay dead]].
59+ VampireTropes: Tropes about [[OurVampiresAreDifferent undead people with an addiction to blood]].
60+ WerebeastTropes: Tropes about [[OurWerebeastsAreDifferent shapeshifting monsters who switch between human and animal forms]].
61+ WitchesAndWizards: Tropes about human magic users, with [[EvilSorcerer wicked wizards]] and [[WickedWitch witches]] being fairly common villains in horror stories that may lean more towards DarkFantasy.
62
63!!Other categories
64+ AbandonedArea: Buildings and places which are (mostly) empty of people will make good stock settings for scary stories.
65+ AdultFear: Tropes tied to realistic fears an adult could have.
66+ ApocalypticIndex: TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt will always involve mass death and destruction on a grand scale, and thus is never a pleasant event to experience (if you can even survive it, that is).
67+ BloodyTropes: Whenever you see this precious body fluid getting spilled, it means bad things have or will happen.
68+ DarknessAndShadowsTropes: The absence of light is often feared to be where danger is lurking.
69+ DeadBodyIndex
70+ DeathTropes: Obviously enough, the end of anyone's life is not something you really wish to witness (or experience directly).
71+ EvilIsVisceral
72+ EvilMusicIndex: The typical soundtrack associated with any horror movie/show/game.
73+ EvilTropes: All competent villains can invoke great terror from their sinister behavior and cruel actions.
74+ FearTropes: The emotions of horror and terror itself.
75+ HalloweenTropes: Tropes related to the holiday of UsefulNotes/AllHallowsEve, or Halloween, which in modern times has basically become a secular pop-cultural celebration of the horror fiction genre, along with all of its associated tropes and cliches.
76+ IndexOfGothicHorrorTropes
77+ LovecraftianTropes
78+ MadnessTropes: Tropes about extreme mental illnesses and insanity in general.
79+ ParanormalTropes: Tropes about the paranormal and supernatural, or unexplainable phenomena beyond our (safe) understanding of reality. Often invokes our fears of unknown and unusual things.
80+ ScaryAnimalsIndex
81+ ScreamingTropes: Yelling out a loud shriek is an appropriate response to feeling truly terrified.
82+ SkeletalTropes: Since it takes a long time for bones to decompose, skeletons are often associated with long-decomposed corpses and by extension death.
83+ SubvertedInnocence: When horror is derived from something that's (seemingly) nice, sweet, and wholesome getting twisted into a malicious mockery of itself.
84+ ViolenceTropes: Direct physical conflict between two or more characters can result in very disturbing injuries and consequences.
85+ YouWouldNotWantToLiveInDex: Locations and settings that are inherently bad places to ever visit.
86
87!!Individual Tropes
88[[foldercontrol]]
89[[folder:A]]
90* AbandonedCampRuins: The people who camped here probably didn't count on this place having something dangerous in it.
91* AbandonedHospital: Definitely not a place that one wants to visit when feeling unwell.
92* AbandonedHospitalAwakening: A hospital patient wakes up to find the building empty of all other life.
93* AbandonedPlayground: Something is inherently spooky about a former play-place for children.
94* AbandonedWarehouse: This building is probably storing things that are best left alone.
95* AbsurdlyIneffectiveBarricade: The threat is able to break through a barricade near-effortlessly.
96* AbsurdlySharpClaws
97* TheAdjectivalMan: A character named after an adjective, often NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast
98* AdorableAbomination: An EldritchAbomination that looks cute. Their cuteness may either be a [[CuteIsEvil deceptive facade]], or an indication that they're [[BenevolentAbomination genuinely harmless]].
99* AfterlifeExpress
100* AfterTheEnd: What the world looks like in the aftermath of a terrible disaster.
101* AlienAbduction: A human gets kidnapped by extraterrestrial beings, often for creepy or sinister purposes (usually involving very invasive, torturous medical experiments).
102* AlienBlood: Creatures bleed unusually colored blood.
103* AlienGeometries: An area, being or object with impossible dimensions, common in CosmicHorror.
104* AlienInvasion: Extraterrestrials attack Earth with the goal of [[KillAllHumans destroying]] or [[FateWorseThanDeath enslaving]] all of humanity.
105* AliensAreBastards: Aliens are [[AlwaysChaoticEvil evil and malevolent]] towards humans, often [[AlienAbduction kidnapping people]] to do terrible things to them, or [[AlienInvasion attacking Earth]] just because they can.
106* AllInTheEyes: A character is in darkness except for their illuminated eyes.
107* AllMythsAreTrue
108* AllWebbedUp: Someone is trapped in a giant (spider) web, ready to be devoured by whatever spun it.
109* AloneWithThePsycho: A defenseless character is alone with a murderer who wants to kill them.
110* AlwaysNight: A location -- or story in general -- is in constant and unending darkness.
111* AmputationStopsSpread: An infection can be stopped by amputating the infected limb.
112* AmusementParkOfDoom: A dangerous amusement park where oblivious families and tourists visit at their own risk.
113* AncientEvil: An evil force that is thousands of years old or even older
114* AncientTomb: Old tombs and crypts, invariably filled with TheUndead.
115* AndIMustScream: A person is trapped in a terrifying condition where they can't move or escape, they can't communicate to anyone around them, and they are unable to die, all while suffering in pain or fear the whole time.
116* AndShowItToYou: A character has their organs removed and shown to them.
117* AngelsDevilsAndSquid
118* AnimalisticAbomination: An eldritch abomination with animal traits.
119* AnkleDrag: A character is dragged by their ankles by the threat.
120* AnomalousArt: Works of art that possess strange, paranormal powers.
121* AnotherMansTerror: A character goes through the experiences of a dead character.
122* TheAntichrist: A supernatural human/entity meant to bring about the Apocalypse.
123* AnyoneCanDie: Not even the main protagonists are safe from mortal doom.
124* ApartmentComplexOfHorrors: Getting trapped in an apartment with evil and/or sinister forces.
125* ApocalypseCult: An underground religious sect which is obsessed with a [[EndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt doomsday prophecy]], either trying to help jumpstart the process of destroying our own world or doing terrible things to others in selfish hopes for their own survival.
126* ApocalypseHow: All the various ways in fiction that a doomsday event can happen.
127* ApocalypticLog: A diary, journal, or other records made by someone which details how something they witnessed went terribly wrong. It may even end just before their own demise.
128* ArtifactOfDeath: An object that inevitably cause the death of its owner.
129* ArtifactOfDoom: Supernatural objects that are cursed or can cause terrible things to happen when (ab)used.
130* AttackOfTheKillerWhatever: Something that would not usually be dangerous becomes a monster.
131* AttackOfTheMonsterAppendage: A limb, often independent of a body, is a dangerous monster.
132* AttractiveZombie
133* AtrocityMontage: A sequence of horrific events portrayed graphically.
134* AxCrazy: Someone who is violently insane.
135[[/folder]]
136
137[[folder:B]]
138* BackingIntoDanger: Backing into the very thing you were watching out for.
139* BackstoryHorror: Something horrifying happened in a character's backstory.
140* BadBlackBarf: Black vomit is a sign of oncoming BodyHorror or BloodyHorror.
141* TheBadGuyWins: The villain/monster wins at the end of the story.
142* BadHumorTruck: An ice-cream van is a mortal threat.
143* BadSanta: When jolly old [[SantaClaus Saint Nick]] gets a terrifying dose of AdaptationalVillainy.
144* BalloonOfDoom: Either when a party balloon is used as a symbol of evil or an anthropomorphic balloon is villainous.
145* {{Baphomet}}: A goat-headed demon with both male and female features.
146* BarredFromTheAfterlife: A character cannot enter the afterlife, often resulting in AndIMustScream or WalkingTheEarth.
147* BarrierBustingBlow: A single blow is enough to break past a barricade.
148* BatOutOfHell: A monstrous and/or abnormally large bat.
149* BatPeople: Humans with bat-like traits or humanoid bats who, depending on the work, may be connected to vampires.
150* BatScare: A jump scare involving bats flying out of a dark space.
151* BattleaxeNurse: An evil nurse.
152* BearTrap: A character is caught in a sharp trap activated by stepping on it.
153* BeastInTheMaze: A monster dwells inside a maze.
154* BeastOfTheApocalypse: A monster that brings on the end of the world.
155* BeastWithAHumanFace: An otherwise clearly non-human creature has a human face.
156* BeatStillMyHeart: A heart is ripped or cut out of a chest and continues to beat.
157* BedlamHouse
158* BedsheetGhost
159* BehavioralConditioning: Someone is brainwashed into certain behavioral patterns.
160* BellyMouth: A creature has a mouth on their stomach.
161* BewareOfHitchhikingGhosts: Ghosts masquerade as hitchhikers and get inside cars.
162* BewareOfViciousDog: A vicious dog.
163* BigCreepyCrawlies: Giant bugs.
164* {{Bizarrchitecture}}
165* BlackDudeDiesFirst
166* BlackEyesOfCrazy: The dangerous psychopath with black eyes
167* BlackEyesOfEvil: Dark, pitch-black eyes which give off evil and soulless vibes.
168* BlackMagic: Magic used for evil/demonic purposes.
169* TheBlank: A being without any visible facial features is quite disturbing.
170* BlindWithoutThem: Most nearsighted or blind victims (mainly females) meet their unfortunate fate (mostly after finding their glasses) or (rarely) survive.
171* BlobMonster: A monster made of slime.
172* BloodBath: A character (often a vampire or sorcerer) bathes in blood.
173* BloodForMortar: Human remains are used in the construction of buildings.
174* BloodFromEveryOrifice
175* BloodFromTheMouth
176* BloodIsSquickerInWater
177* BloodMagic: Blood is used for occult purposes.
178* BloodSplatteredInnocents
179* BloodSplatteredWeddingDress
180* BloodyHandprint: A handprint in blood is seen, usually used to imply a bloody killing.
181* BloodyHorror: Blood and violence are used to generate horror.
182* BlueCollarWarlock: A working-class enchanter.
183* BodyAndHost: The relationship between a spirit or parasite and the person they inhabit.
184* BodyInABreadbox
185* BodyOfBodies: A being made out of the bodies of many smaller beings.
186* BodySnatcher
187* BotanicalAbomination: An eldritch abomination plant.
188* BrainFood: A character eats brains.
189* BrainInAJar: A brain in a jar.
190* BreakingAndBloodsucking: Vampires break into bedrooms to attack women.
191* BrokenHeel: A character trips, breaks their heel or stops running for some other reason.
192* BrownNote: Seeing, hearing, or otherwise directly sensing this object can be very harmful to one's mind and/or body.
193* BrownNoteBeing: A person, creature, or [[EldritchAbomination thing]] that will make you regret ever meeting and witnessing them up-close.
194* BunkerWoman: A DamselInDistress is imprisoned underground.
195* BuriedAlive: A live person, usually after being mistaken for a dead body due to unconsciousness, gets dumped into a grave and sealed inside. Should they fail to escape in time, they'll run out of oxygen and become corpses for real.
196* BurnTheUndead: When fire is effective at destroying vampires or other undead creatures.
197* TheButcher: Anyone nicknamed “The Butcher” is evil.
198* BystanderActionHorrorDissonance: An action sequence shifts to a much darker tone when we see how it's affecting those who aren't part of the fight.
199[[/folder]]
200
201[[folder:C]]
202* TheCallsAreComingFromInsideTheHouse: When you pick up a stranger's call on your phone and realize that they're even closer than you thought...
203* CampbellCountry: Creepy communities in the British Isles.
204* CampUnsafeIsntSafeAnymore: A seemingly safe site is actually dangerous.
205* CannibalLarder: A kitchen stocked with the other white meat.
206* CantMoveWhileBeingWatched: A supernatural being is incapable of movement while being watched.
207* CastsNoShadow
208* CatapultNightmare
209* CatScare: A JumpScare involving a cat.
210* CeilingCorpse: A corpse is suspended from the ceiling unnoticed.
211* TheChainOfHarm (especially #4 and #5)
212* ChestBurster
213* ChildEater: A villain that eats children/babies.
214* ChillOfUndeath
215* ChineseVampire: An undead hopping corpse from Chinese folklore that drains life force.
216* {{Chupacabra}}: A legendary monster (of wildly varying descriptions) that is said to prey on livestock.
217* CircusOfFear: A circus is a place of evil and malevolence.
218* CityOfTheDamned
219* CivilizationDestroyer: A species, creature, group or EldritchAbomination capable of destroying a civilization.
220* ClassicalMovieVampire: In some fiction, vampires are pale people in evening dress.
221* ClingyCostume: Clothes that are impossible to remove.
222* CobwebJungle: An AncientTomb, HauntedCastle or other old location has to be full of cobwebs.
223* ColdBloodedTorture: People getting subjected to extreme pain and torment by other people; either as a means of interrogation, punishment, or just out of sheer sadism.
224* CompleteMonster: A character who is pure evil. In horror stories, these villains are usually the ones who produce the most NightmareFuel through incredibly cruel and sadistic acts against others.
225* ConnectTheDeaths: TheReveal involves a character working out the connections between deaths.
226* CorpseLand: A location made of or covered in corpses.
227* TheCorruption
228* CouncilOfVampires
229* CrapsaccharineWorld: A seemingly nice, pleasant place that only appears to be this way on the surface. In reality it's hiding some very awful secrets...
230* CrapsackWorld: The story's setting is a terribly nightmarish dystopia full of misery and suffering.
231* CreepilyLongArms: A character or monster has eerily long arms.
232* CreepyAsymmetry
233* CreepyBallet: A ballet -- or the events backstage -- are spooky.
234* CreepyBasement: A basement in which horrific or supernatural events occur.
235* CreepyCamelSpider: Solifugids portrayed as hyperaggressive desert terrors, often well beyond what they are in reality.
236* CreepyCathedral: Religious buildings played for horror.
237* CreepyCatholicism: Catholicism is portrayed as sinister.
238* CreepyCave: Caves are dangerous, unsettling, and scary.
239* CreepyCemetery: Graveyards are homes or hunting grounds for TheUndead.
240* CreepyChangingPainting: A painting that supernaturally alters itself.
241* CreepyChild: A child who has something odd or disturbing about them.
242* CreepyChildrenSinging: We hear children sing in an unnerving manner.
243* CreepyCircusMusic: Circus music is used for a spooky effect, often in a CircusOfFear.
244* CreepyCleanliness: A place is clean to a disconcerting degree.
245* CreepyCrows: Crows and ravens often appear in spooky places.
246* CreepyDoll: A doll which is malevolent or just spooky.
247* CreepyDollhouse: The natural habitat of the above.
248* CreepyFamily: A family has something sinister about them.
249* CreepyGasStationAttendant: This man will give you petrol and ''very'' bad directions or may be intentionally malevolent.
250* CreepyGood: Characters who, despite their frightening/disturbing/generally really creepy capabilities or mannerisms, still manage to be effective forces on the side of good.
251* CreepyHousekeeper: The women who keeps your HauntedCastle spick and span and scares off arrivals.
252* CreepyLongFingers: A villain has eerily long fingers.
253* CreepyMascotSuit: A person in an animal suit or mask is scary, if not evil.
254* CreepyMonotone: Monotone talking played for horror.
255* CreepyMortician
256* CreepyOldFashionedDivingSuit: Old model diving suits are disturbing.
257* CreepyShadowedUndereyes
258* CreepySouvenir: A memento that is either creepy or has a creepy past.
259* CreepyTwins
260* CropCircles: Patterns left in fields by aliens.
261* CruelAndUnusualDeath: The more gory and painful it is, the worse it is to die like this.
262* CrustyCaretaker: The man responsible for cleaning a typical HauntedHouse and intimidating visitors.
263* {{Cthulhumanoid}}: A humanoid eldritch abomination with cephalopod attributes, resembling Cthullu from the ''Franchise/CthulhuMythos''.
264* {{Cult}}: A group of people with sinister customs and goals.
265* CuriosityKilledTheCast: Characters are killed off for getting too curious.
266* CurseOfThePharaoh: If you try to rob the tomb of an {{Ancient Egypt}}ian [[NephariousPharaoh pharaoh]], then you will suffer their posthumous vengeance.
267* CuteAndPsycho: Someone who is as adorable as they are violently insane.
268* CuteCreatureCreepyMouth: An entity that would otherwise be cute but has a horrifying mouth.
269[[/folder]]
270
271[[folder:D]]
272* DangerousKeyFumble: A character gets delayed locking out the impending threat or unlocking the door keeping them in.
273* DangerousWindows: Windows of oddly fragile glass which monsters and villains bust through.
274* DangerTakesABackseat: Something horrifying lurks in the backseat of your car.
275* DangerWithADeadline: The protagonists must avoid the threat until the danger passes.
276* DarkIsEvil: Darkness is associated with evil.
277* DarkLordOnLifeSupport: A villain is mortally wounded and on life support.
278* DarknessEqualsDeath: Shadows are often very ominous. Who knows what they hide?
279* TheDarknessGazesBack: A dark area is full of eyes staring at the protagonists.
280* DarknessVonGothickName: A dark name.
281* DarkWorld: An entire world in constant darkness.
282* DeadAllAlong
283* DeaderThanDead
284* DeadlyBath: A bath that ends in the bather's death.
285* DeadlyBook: A book that has fatal consequences for the reader.
286* DeadlyDoctor: A murderous or simply highly incompetent doctor.
287* DeadlyLunge: Sudden zombie leaping attack.
288* DeadlyPrank: A not-so-harmless prank resulting in someone getting killed.
289* DeadlyRoadTrip: A road trip from which you will not return.
290* DeadWeight
291* DealWithTheDevil
292* DeathByMaterialism: A character's greed results in their death.
293* DeathByMocking: In Horrormovieland, {{Alpha Bitch}}es and {{Jerk Jock}}s cannot expect to live long.
294* DeathByPragmatism: People get murdered for taking the sensible option.
295* DeathOfAChild: The story openly depicts young children dying.
296* DefangedHorrors: Horrors presented in a child-friendly manner.
297* DemBones: Undead skeletons.
298* DemonicDummy: A ventriloquist's dummy that is most certainly not friendly.
299* DemonicHeadShake: A victim of {{Demonic Possession}}s's head shakes furiously.
300* DemonicPossession: When an evil spirit seizes control over someone's mind and body.
301* DepravedDentist: A dentist who gets off on hurting their patients.
302* DevelopingDoomedCharacters: We get to know the cast just before they start dying.
303* DevilInDisguise: Satan or someone working for him living amongst humans.
304* DevouredByTheHorde: A character is torn to pieces and eaten by a horde of antagonists.
305* {{Dhampyr}}: The offspring of a vampire and a human.
306* DigitalAbomination: A digital eldritch abomination.
307* DisguisedHorrorStory: Starts off as cute and/or innocent, then becomes scary and/or macabre.
308* DistressCall: Emergency communications made by people in trouble, which may become especially worrisome if any potential rescuers find that they have arrived too late to help save anyone...
309* DoctorsDisgracefulDemotion: A MadScientist lost their medical license for performing horrible experiments.
310* DontGoInTheWoods: Forests are full of all kinds of scary and dangerous things hiding between the trees, so one must be careful to never get lost in them.
311* DoorHandleScare: ''Something'' pulls down the handle of a door.
312* DownerEnding: The story ends sadly.
313* DraggedOffToHell: A character is taken to Hell.
314* TheDreaded: A character everyone else is scared senseless of.
315* DroneOfDread
316* DroppedGlasses: Most nearsighted or blind victims (mainly females) lose their seeing ability (mostly by running and tripping over something) as their glasses fall off their face and increases their fear factor as they search for them in a panic.
317* DroolHello: Bodily secretions, usually drool, are the first signs of a monster's presence.
318* DropInNemesis
319* DugTooDeep: A mining operation [[SealedEvilInACan shouldn't be mining there]].
320* DumbwaiterRide
321* DwindlingParty: The group of survivors is getting smaller and smaller.
322[[/folder]]
323
324[[folder:E]]
325* EarAche
326* EatenAlive: Getting devoured while still alive.
327* EatsBabies
328* {{Ectoplasm}}
329* EerieArcticResearchStation: An isolated research station in one of the Poles where horrifying events occur.
330* EeriePaleSkinnedBrunette: Often indicates a [[StringyHairedGhostGirl ghost]], [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampire]] or simply a {{Mundanger}}.
331* EldritchLocation: An otherworldly location that is strange and off in all the wrong ways.
332* EldritchOceanAbyss
333* EldritchTransformation
334* ElectromagneticGhosts
335* EmergencyBroadcast
336* TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt: A catastrophic disaster that results in mass death and destruction on a global scale.
337* TheEndOrIsIt: A classic TwistEnding which implies that the monster, villain, or other source of conflict hasn't actually been defeated or solved, and that it's only the beginning of more trouble for our protagonists.
338* EnemyRisingBehind
339* EnfantTerrible: A child who is evil.
340* EverybodyDiesEnding: The story ends with everyone dead.
341* EverybodysDeadDave
342* EverythingTryingToKillYou: A location full of all sorts of hostile creatures.
343* EvilAllAlong: Villains who pretend to be good people tend to be much scarier than the ObviouslyEvil.
344* EvilDetectingDog: An animal can sense evil, danger, or the supernatural.
345* EvilElevator
346* EvilHand
347* EvilMask
348* EvilOrphan: This is decidedly not a HeartwarmingOrphan.
349* EvilOverlooker
350* EvilPhone
351* EvilSmellsBad
352* EvilSoundsDeep
353* EvilTaintedThePlace
354* ExistentialHorror: Horror derived from a futile effort to make sense of the true meaning of life and reality.
355* ExorcistHead: When the possessing demon causes their host's neck to spin around a full 360 degrees in homage to ''Film/TheExorcist''.
356* ExtremeCloseUp
357* ExtremelyDustyHome
358* EyeAwaken
359* EyelessFace: A face that hasn't got eyes or even eye sockets.
360* EyeOfNewt: Unusual ingredients used for sorcery.
361* EyesAreUnbreakable
362* EyeScream: Someone gets their eyes gouged out very painfully.
363* EyesDoNotBelongThere
364* TheEyesHaveIt
365[[/folder]]
366
367[[folder:F]]
368* FaceFullOfAlienWingWong: Getting attacked by a parasitic alien creature trying to lay its eggs inside you.
369* FaceHugger
370* FaceRevealingTurn
371* FacialHorror: Gruesome injuries to one's face.
372* FaintingSeer
373* FalseInnocenceTrick
374* FamilialBodySnatcher
375* FamilialCannibalismSurprise
376* TheFamilyThatSlaysTogether
377* FateWorseThanDeath: Someone suffers a fate so horrific that death would be much more merciful for them.
378* FauxHorrific: Pretending something is scary for laughs.
379* FeatheredFiend: An evil bird.
380* FedToPigs
381* FeralVampires: Bestial vampires who look and act more like terrifyingly savage zombies, instead of being superficially charming and attractive humanlike predators.
382* AFeteWorseThanDeath: Festivities that revolve around killing people.
383* FetusTerrible
384* FiendishFish: Fish are vicious predators.
385* FightDracula
386* FinalGirl: A female character who survives the story's events after everyone else dies.
387* {{Fingore}}: Violence inflicted upon the fingers.
388* FlatScare
389* FlayingAlive: Someone has their skin removed while still living.
390* FleshGolem: A monster made out of body parts.
391* FliesEqualsEvil
392* FlowerMouth
393* FogOfDoom: Deadly OminousFog.
394* FoldSpindleMutilation
395* FoodChainOfEvil
396* FootprintsOfMuck
397* ForDoomTheBellTolls
398* TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou: The monster or villain makes threats toward the audience, or at least gives the impression that they are capable of harming the audience.
399* FrankensteinsMonster: A Frankenstein’s monster {{Expy}}.
400* FreakLabAccident: A common backstory for the origin of a mutant monster or some other catastrophe resulting from careless mistakes in science experiments.
401* FrightBesideThem: A character realizes they're in danger when the friend or loved one who they thought was right next to them is actually revealed to be somewhere else.
402* FullyEmbracedFiend
403* FurAgainstFang: Vampires and werewolves fight.
404[[/folder]]
405
406[[folder:G]]
407* GameFace
408* GasStationOfDoom
409* GateOfTruth
410* GayGuyDiesFirst: An LGBT character dies before all the other characters.
411* GenuineHumanHide: Clothing made from human skin.
412* GeometricMagic: Drawing certain symbolic shapes to practice dark or demonic magic.
413* GhastlyGhost: A terrifying/evil ghost.
414* {{Ghostapo}}: [[ThoseWackyNazis Nazis]] messing around with dark magic and occult shit.
415* GhostButler
416* GhostCity: A former metropolis now in ruins. Definitely a sign that something went terribly wrong.
417* GhostlyChill
418* GhostlyGoals
419* GhostlyGlide
420* GhostlyWail
421* GhostPirate: An undead pirate who continues to haunt the seas long past their natural lifetimes.
422* GhostPlanet: A ''whole world'' that has been emptied of its inhabitants.
423* GhostShip
424* GhostStory: Campfire tales about ghostly hauntings and other supernatural creepiness.
425* GhostTown: A formerly inhabited human settlement that was abandoned, usually due to some kind of disaster.
426* GiantEyeOfDoom
427* GiantSpider: Arachnophobia is a very common fear, so why not amp it up to giant proportions?
428* GiantSquid: A monster squid.
429* GlasgowGrin: A mouth sliced at the sides to resemble a sinister grin.
430* GodAndSatanAreBothJerks
431* GodOfEvil
432* {{Gorn}}: Over-the-top bloody and gory violence for cheap shock value, a common feature of {{Slasher Movie}}s or other horror works reliant on graphic depictions of violence.
433* GoryDeadlyOverkillTitleOfFatalDeath
434* GoryDiscretionShot: During particularly gory scenes, the violence happens off-screen.
435* {{Goth}}: A member of the Goth subculture.
436* GothGirlsKnowMagic
437* GothSpirals: Creepy spirals.
438* GreenIsGross
439* GrossUpCloseUp: A horrifically detailed closeup of something gross or scary.
440* TheGrotesque
441* GrotesqueGallery
442* GroundByGears
443* GruesomeGoat: A scary/Satanic goat.
444* GuttedLikeAFish
445* GypsyCurse: If you piss off some MagicalRomani, they can put one hell of a terrible spell on you.
446[[/folder]]
447
448[[folder:H]]
449* HairRaisingHare: A scary rabbit.
450* HalfTheManHeUsedToBe: Someone gets cut in half.
451* {{Halloweentown}}: A setting based on [[UsefulNotes/AllHallowsEve Halloween]].
452* HarbingerOfImpendingDoom
453* HauntedCastle: A very old fortress or palace that is said to be haunted.
454* HauntedFetter: An inanimate object that is possessed by a ghost.
455* HauntedHeadquarters: Spooky buildings that are said to be inhabited by ghosts, demons, spirits, or other supernatural entities.
456* HauntedHeroine
457* HauntedHouse: An old home whose late previous residents never really left.
458* HauntedHouseHistorian: An expert who knows why this place is haunted.
459* HauntedTechnology: When ghosts take control of machines.
460* HazardousWater: The water is dangerous.
461* HeadlessHorseman: A ghostly man who [[OffWithHisHead lost his head]], riding around on horseback for all eternity. May often be trying to replace his lost head by stealing someone else's.
462* TheHeartless: An evil entity made from negative emotions.
463* {{Hell}}: An afterlife world that is believed to be inhabited by demonic beings, along with the damned souls of dead sinners who are suffering terrible punishments for their misdeeds in life.
464* {{Hellevator}}: A sinister elevator.
465* HellHotel: If you decide to check into this shady inn for the night, you may never check out alive.
466* {{Hellhound}}: A demonic dog.
467* HellishHorse: Sinister horses.
468* HellishPupils: Non-human shaped pupils.
469* HellIsThatNoise
470* HelplessKicking: Someone kicks their legs as they're being dragged to their doom, killed or EatenAlive.
471* HelplessWindowDeath: Someone dies behind a window while the protagonist can do nothing but watch.
472* HiddenHarasser
473* HideAndSeekHorror: A game of hide-and-seek is played for horror.
474* HighClassCannibal: Rich people eat human flesh.
475* HillbillyHorrors: Beware of evil rednecks in the countryside.
476* HockeyMaskAndChainsaw: A classic {{Stock Parod|ies}}y of a slasher wearing a [[MalevolentMaskedMen hockey mask]] and carrying a {{chainsaw|Good}}, in reference to [[Franchise/FridayThe13th Jason Voorhees]] and [[Franchise/TheTexasChainsawMassacre Leatherface]], respectively.
477* HollywoodExorcism: Attempting to rid a possessed person of their demon through religious rituals.
478* HollywoodSatanism: Satanism is shown as an evil and cruel religion.
479* HollywoodVoodoo: Voodoo is shown as a sinister variant of black magic.
480* HolyBurnsEvil: Sacred religious objects can harm vampires, usually because of their demonic nature.
481* HomicideMachines
482* HorrifyingTheHorror: Something is so shocking that even the monsters are scared of it.
483* HorrorDoesntSettleForSimpleTuesday: Scary events happen on a holiday or special occasion.
484* HorrorHatesARulebreaker: In horror stories, those who have done wrong are especially likely to suffer the wrath of the supernatural terrors.
485* HorrorHippies: These guys don't really mean to bring love and peace with them.
486* HorrorHost: Works in the horror genre (primarily comics as well as anthology films and television series) often feature a framing device where the featured story or stories are introduced to the audience by an eccentric and creepy narrator.
487* HorrorHunger
488* HorrorStruck
489* HostileAnimatronics: Evil animatronics.
490* HostileHitchhiker: It's not a good idea to allow suspicious strangers to ride in your car (or inversely, accepting rides from suspicious strangers).
491* AHouseDivided
492* HumanArchitectureHorror: Bodies fused to their surroundings.
493* HumanHeadOnTheWall: Seeing one of these is a clear warning to stay the hell away!
494* HumanJackOLantern: What a cute jack-o-- my gosh! Is that somebody's head?!
495* HumanoidAbomination: A humanoid that defies logic.
496* HumanResources
497* HumanSacrifice
498* HumansAreTheRealMonsters: Even in a supernatural setting full of dangerous nonhuman creatures, [[HumansAreBastards the evil of ordinary human beings]] is still just as disturbing (if not far worse).
499* HumanToWerewolfFootprints
500* HungryJungle: Tropical rainforests are foreboding and dangerous places full of death, disease, and madness.
501* HybridMonster
502[[/folder]]
503
504[[folder:I]]
505* ICanSeeYou
506* TheIgor
507* IHateYouVampireDad
508* ILoveTheDead: Someone has a depraved lust for dead bodies (necrophilia).
509* ImAHumanitarian: Human cannibalism is incredibly disturbing because it violates so many moral and ethical concerns.
510* ImColdSoCold
511* ImpromptuTracheotomy
512* InbredAndEvil
513* IndianBurialGround: Buildings that were constructed on Native American cemeteries tend to be cursed or haunted by the vengeful spirits of dead natives.
514* InescapableHorror
515* InfernalRetaliation
516* TheInfested
517* InitiationCeremony: A ceremony that permits the participant to enter an organization, often a ReligionOfEvil or AncientConspiracy
518* InnOfNoReturn
519* InscrutableAliens: Aliens are creepy because of how inhumanly weird they act.
520* InThatOrder: A list of horrific things ends with "and in that order".
521* InvincibleBoogeymen: An unstoppable monster that you have no hope of ever fighting or defeating; you can only (try to) run far away and hide from them. And even doing that may not guarantee that they won't still be able to get you.
522* IronicNurseryTune: A song with creepy subject matter in the style of a nursery rhyme.
523* ISeeDeadPeople: Characters who can see ghosts that are invisible to the other characters.
524* IsleOfGiantHorrors
525* ItCameFromTheSink
526* ItCanThink: What was thought to be a non-sapient monster turns out to be capable of intelligence.
527* ItWasADarkAndStormyNight
528* ItWasThereTheWholeTime
529* ItWontTurnOff
530[[/folder]]
531
532[[folder:J]]
533* JacobMarleyApparel: A ghost wears the clothes it died in.
534* TheJerseyDevil: A demon/dragon-like cryptid from {{Joisey}}.
535* JoinUsDrone
536* JumpScare: Shocking the audience with the sudden appearance of a frightening image accompanied by an equally frightening sound.
537[[/folder]]
538
539[[folder:K]]
540* {{Kaiju}}: [[AttackOfTheFiftyFootWhatever Giant monsters]] that can easily crush or devour humans whole and demolish entire buildings if set loose on a city.
541* KarloffKopy: A character based on iconic horror actor Creator/BorisKarloff.
542* KeeperOfForbiddenKnowledge
543* KensingtonGore: Bright red fake blood. Now a DiscreditedTrope as special effects have improved.
544* KidnappedFromBehind
545* KidnappingBirdOfPrey: An evil and ravenous bird of prey who kidnaps their prey by picking it up with their sharp claws.
546* KillerRobot
547* KillerTeddyBear: An evil sentient teddy bear.
548* KillTheLights
549* KissOfTheVampire
550* KnightTemplar: Villains who are convinced they are heroes are usually much more frightening [[RealismInducedHorror and realistic]] than [[CardCarryingVillain Card-Carrying Villains]] who are ObviouslyEvil.
551* TheKrampus: A Christmas demon who punishes naughty children, often depicted as being an EvilCounterpart to SantaClaus himself.
552[[/folder]]
553
554[[folder:L]]
555* LampreyMouth
556* TheLegionsOfHell
557* LesbianVampire: Gay vampiresses.
558* LetsSplitUpGang: When a group of people ignore their relative safety in numbers, dividing themselves so that the monster or villain can pick them off more easily.
559* LifeOrLimbDecision: Having to choose between dying by staying where you are or cutting off your trapped limb to escape.
560* LightFlickerTeleportation
561* LightmareFuel
562* LiteralManeater: A (usually female) monster that uses their beauty or sex appeal to lure in victims to eat them.
563* TheLittleShopThatWasntThereYesterday
564* LivingBodysuit
565* LivingDollCollector
566* LivingShadow: A spooky being made of literal darkness.
567* LivingToys: Toys that are alive.
568* LooksLikeCesare
569* LooksLikeOrlok: A vampire or other type of humanoid monster resembles Count Orlok from the horror film ''Film/{{Nosferatu}}''.
570* LorreLookalike: A character based on iconic horror actor Creator/PeterLorre.
571* LosingYourHead: Non-fatal decapitations.
572* LostInTheMaize
573* LotteryOfDoom
574* LovecraftCountry: New England is a land of weird and supernatural goings on.
575* LovecraftianSuperpower
576* ALoveToDismember
577* LuckBasedSearchTechnique
578* LudicrousGibs
579[[/folder]]
580
581[[folder:M]]
582* MacabreMothMotif: Moths are evil omens.
583* MadDoctor: A crazy medical doctor who plays the role of a mad scientist on their own patients.
584* MadeFromRealGirlScouts
585* MadeOfPlasticine: Someone is ridiculously easy to kill by tearing apart.
586* MadwomanInTheAttic
587* MagicIsAMonsterMagnet
588* MagicIsEvil: Sorcery is inherently sinister and dangerous, inevitably causing all sorts of supernatural disasters.
589* MagneticMedium
590* MalevolentMaskedMen: Scary villains who cover up their faces when they attack.
591* MalevolentMutilation
592* ManEatingPlant: A monstrous plant creature that eats people.
593* MarionetteMotion: A character moves in a way reminiscent of a string puppet.
594* MeaningfulBackgroundEvent
595* MeatMoss
596* MenacingMuseum: A museum portrayed as ominous, dangerous or just plain evil.
597* MenstrualMenace
598* MentallyUnwellSpecialSenses
599* MessyMaggots
600* MetamorphosisMonster
601* MilitariesAreUseless: While [[PoliceAreUseless cops are often unreliable]], don't expect soldiers to be much better if they do appear in horror stories, as they often perform poorly and become a RedshirtArmy whenever they try to fight against monsters or [[AlienInvasion alien invaders]].
602* MindRape
603* MirrorMonster: An evil entity lurking behind a mirror's reflection.
604* MirrorScare
605* MobileMenace
606* MonsterClown: A scary, evil circus performer.
607* MonsterDelay: Heavily playing into the NothingIsScarier trope seen below, we oftentimes don't ever see any of the monster in question at all until well into the film's runtime.
608* MonsterMash: Several different monsters are shown together at one time.
609* MonsterMouth
610* MonsterProgenitor
611* MonstersAnonymous
612* MonsterTown
613* MonstrousCannibalism
614* MonstrousHumanoid: A hideous creature with a vaguely human-shaped body.
615* MonstrousScenery
616* MookHorrorShow: The hero beating up the bad guys is shown from the bad guys' perspective, treating the hero like he/she's a movie monster.
617* TheMostDangerousVideoGame: An evil video game that can cause real-life harm to its players.
618* MotherOfAThousandYoung: A monster that gives birth to many other monsters.
619* MouthStitchedShut
620* MummiesAtTheDinnerTable
621* {{Mummy}}: A preserved corpse wrapped up in bandages, that usually becomes undead. You really don't want to see all the decay beneath those bandages.
622* MundaneHorror: Scary events that are more realistic than fantastic in nature.
623* {{Mundanger}}: The danger has no supernatural elements.
624* MurderDotCom: Murder or other gruesome crime is put on the Internet.
625* MurderByCremation: Killing someone by burning them alive in an oven.
626* MurderousMannequin
627* MurderousMask
628* MurderWater: The water is evil and out for blood.
629* MuseumOfTheStrangeAndUnusual
630* MustBeInvited: A supernatural creature cannot enter a dwelling without permission from the homeowners.
631[[/folder]]
632
633[[folder:N]]
634* NatureIsNotNice: The natural wilderness is a very savage and dangerous place, not meant for unprepared humans used to living in urban civilization.
635* NaziZombies: Undead fascist villains.
636* NestedMouths
637* NeverendingTerror
638* NeverSleepAgain
639* NewHouseNewProblems
640* NiceDayDeadlyNight
641* NightmareFace: A very scary face.
642* NightmareFuelColoringBook: Disturbing drawings made by {{creepy child}}ren.
643* NightmareFuelStationAttendant
644* NightmareHands
645* NightmareSequence: A very, very, bad dream.
646* NightmarishNursery: A childish setting such as a nursery or playground played for horror or suspense.
647* NightSwimEqualsDeath
648* NoFaceUnderTheMask
649* NoImmortalInertia: A centuries-old immortal loses the source of their eternal life, which often results in quickly being reduced to a corpse.
650* NoodlePeople
651* NotAMask: What appears to be a mask is actually the person's real face.
652* NothingButSkulls
653* NothingIsScarier: We don't see exactly what the horror is, but it's still pretty damn terrifying.
654* NotQuiteDead: Often done to show that a horror villain or monster can't be defeated so easily.
655* NotUsingTheZWord: A monster isn't directly called what they essentially are (e.g.: a zombie not being called a zombie).
656* NumberOfTheBeast: The number 666 is the number of the Devil/the Anti-Christ.
657* NunsAreSpooky: Nuns are played for horror.
658[[/folder]]
659
660[[folder:O]]
661* ObliviouslyEvil: A villain's actions are hurting others, but the villain is so thoroughly convinced that their actions are mundane, acceptable, or helpful, that the contrary idea doesn't even occur to them without external feedback, and even then, the villain might have difficulty understanding how their actions could possibly be wrong.
662* OccultDetective: Someone who investigates supernatural activity.
663* OccultLawFirm: Lawyers are demonic/occult creatures.
664* OffWithHisHead: Beheadings are always a very gruesome way of killing someone.
665* OldDarkHouse
666* OminousCrack
667* OminousCube
668* OminousFog: When a thick cloud of mist appears, it's a sign that something sinister hidden behind that fog is near.
669* OminousKnocking
670* OminousLatinChanting
671* OminouslyCutTether
672* OminouslyOpenDoor
673* OminousMusicBoxTune
674* OminousObsidianOoze: Black goo can only mean disaster.
675* OminousOwl: Along with CreepyCrows, these birds tend to show up for spooky situations.
676* OminousPipeOrgan: Is it really any wonder why a musical instrument associated with funerals is good for a horror soundtrack?
677* OminousTelevision
678* OminousVisualGlitch
679* OnceIsNotEnough
680* OneWingedAngel
681* OneWomanWail
682* OrganTheft: Stealing a person's organs.
683* OrificeEvacuation
684* OrificeInvasion
685* OrphanageOfFear
686* OtherworldlyVisitsYoungestFirst
687* OuijaBoard: An occult board game used to communicate with ghosts, demons and other spirits.
688* OurBansheesAreLouder
689* OurCryptidsAreMoreMysterious
690* OurDemonsAreDifferent: Evil spirits and monsters from Hell or another awful place.
691* OurGargoylesRock
692* OurGhostsAreDifferent: The disembodied spirits of dead people, who almost always died in terrible ways and can't rest because of it.
693* OurGhoulsAreCreepier
694* OurLichesAreDifferent
695* OurMonstersAreDifferent: Not all classic creatures of horror fiction are guaranteed to be exactly the same as one another.
696* OurMonstersAreWeird: Some monsters are creepy because of how bizarre they are.
697* OurSirensAreDifferent
698* OurSlashersAreDifferent: StockSlasher villains differ depending on the work.
699* OurSpiritsAreDifferent
700* OurVampiresAreDifferent: Undead fiends who prey on humans to consume their blood.
701* OurWerebeastsAreDifferent: Various different types of shapeshifters who change into animalistic monsters.
702* OurWerewolvesAreDifferent: The rules for werewolves vary between works.
703* OurWitchesAreDifferent
704* OurZombiesAreDifferent: Undead ghouls who wander around in search of people to eat.
705* OverdrawnAtTheBloodBank
706* OverTheShoulderMurderShot
707[[/folder]]
708
709[[folder:P]]
710* PainfulTransformation: A transformation causes severe physical agony and suffering for the victim.
711* PaintTheTownRed
712* ParanoiaFuel: A work has disturbing scenes that would make the audience become paranoid of similar things happening to them in real life.
713* ParasitesAreEvil
714* ParasiticHorror: Parasitism being played for horror and {{squick}}.
715* PeekABooCorpse
716* PendulumOfDeath
717* PeopleFarms
718* PersonalHorror: Horror derived from one's own severe internal conflicts and fighting their inner demons.
719* PerversePuppet
720* PestController
721* {{Phlegmings}}
722* PhoneCallFromTheDead
723* PickyPeopleEater
724* PleasureIsland
725* PoliceAreUseless: Expect most cops in horror stories to be unhelpful and incompetent at best, and even if they do intervene they'll often become RedShirt fodder for the monster or villain. Even in less fantastic and more realistic {{Slasher Movie}}s, they tend to have trouble with handling homicidal maniacs who lack any supernatural powers.
726* {{Poltergeist}}: A particular type of troublemaking ghost found in {{haunted house}}s.
727* PoorlyLitPareidolia
728* PortraitPaintingPeephole
729* PossessionLevitation
730* ThePowerOfBlood
731* PrecautionaryCorpseDisposal
732* PredatorsAreMean: Carnivores are dangerous.
733* PretendWereDead
734* PrimalFear: Nearly universal (or just widespread) sources of fear.
735* ProtectThisHouse
736* PsychoKnifeNut: Knives are used for evil purposes.
737* PsychologicalTormentZone
738* PsychoPartyMember
739* PsychopathicManchild: A childlike lunatic who tends to do very horrific things because of their insanity and immaturity.
740* PsychoStrings: Having a waterphone/string instrument play loud, shrill sounds is an effective way to make the scene intense and disturbing.
741* PumpkinPerson: A being with a pumpkin for a head.
742* PupatingPeril: Cocoons and what will eventually emerge from them being depicted as creepy, ominous and horrifying.
743* PuppeteerParasite: A creature that invades someone's body to seize control of their brain.
744* ThePursuingNightmare: A nightmare or other imaginary threat that operates by stalking or chasing down dreamers, usally played for horror.
745* PushedAtTheMonster
746[[/folder]]
747
748[[folder:Q]]
749* QuarantineWithExtremePrejudice: There's a serious outbreak of a horrible illness going around, and anyone suspected of being infected is forcibly locked up and isolated from the public (or even killed outright) to prevent the disease spreading.
750[[/folder]]
751
752[[folder:R]]
753* RaincoatOfHorror
754* RainOfBlood
755* RaisedHandOfSurvival
756* RaisingTheSteaks: Undead animals.
757* RapeAsDrama: Onscreen sexual assault can be very disturbing.
758* RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil
759* RapidAging: Someone's youth is drained right before their very eyes.
760* RazorApples
761* RealismInducedHorror: Fear and terror that is derived not from supernatural monsters or slasher villains, but from things that could very plausibly happen in reality.
762* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld
763* RedEyesTakeWarning: An evil character has red eyes.
764* RedSkyTakeWarning
765* RegretEatingMe: Someone about to be eaten spites the one eating them by stating that they hope being eaten gives them digestive problems.
766* ReligionOfEvil
767* RemovingTheHeadOrDestroyingTheBrain: A monster has to be killed by a blow to the head.
768* TheRenfield
769* ReptilesAreAbhorrent
770* ResistTheBeast
771* ResurrectedMurderer: Sometimes killers don't stay dead.
772* RiseFromYourGrave
773* RitualMagic: Magical rituals that are usually demonic or dark by nature.
774* RiversOfBlood
775* Room101: A TortureCellar that encapsulates the worst fears of the victim.
776* RoomFullOfCrazy
777* RoomFullOfZombies: A character is trapped in a room full of undead {{Mooks}}.
778* RunOrDie
779[[/folder]]
780
781[[folder:S]]
782* SackheadSlasher: A murderer who wears a mask made from sackcloth.
783* {{Sadist}}: A sick and twisted person who enjoys hurting other people.
784* SafeZoneHopeSpot
785* SalemIsWitchCountry
786* SanitySlippage: Someone gradually becomes insane.
787* {{Santabomination}}: Santa Claus is an EldritchAbomination.
788* {{Satan}}: An evil demon from Literature/TheBible that rebelled against God. Often depicted as the ruler of {{Hell}} who commands all other demons, while tempting humanity into sinful depravity.
789* SatanicArchetype: A (demonic) villain modeled after the above.
790* TheSavageSouth: Places in southern regions are barbaric and dangerous.
791* ScareChord: A disturbing note of music plays during a scary scene.
792* ScareDare
793* ScaryFictionIsFun: Both in-universe and in RealLife, people view scary stuff as quality entertainment.
794* ScaryFlashlightFace
795* ScaryJackInTheBox
796* ScaryScarecrows: There's a good reason why the crows stay away from this thing.
797* ScaryScorpions: You definitely don't want to be on the receiving end of its venomous stinger.
798* ScarySkeleton
799* ScaryStitches
800* ScaryTeeth: Teeth that are disturbing.
801* SceneryGorn
802* ScienceIsBad: Not all scientific research will lead to beneficial enlightenment or social/technological progress for the better. Especially if a MadScientist with little in the way of moral ethics or common sense decides to mess around with things that are better left alone...
803* ScreamerTrailer: A trailer featuring a jump scare.
804* ScreamingWoman: A female shriek is often heard in response to something scary.
805* SealedEvilInACan: Villain is imprisoned somewhere, usually so that he/she can be let out to wreak chaos.
806* SealedEvilInATeddyBear: An evil entity in a cute body.
807* SeaMonster: A monster that lives in the ocean.
808* TheSecretOfLongPorkPies: Food made of human meat.
809* SecretSquatter
810* SecurityCling
811* SeeThruSpecs
812* SelfMadeOrphan
813* SenseImpairedMonster
814* SenselessPhagia
815* SensorSuspense
816* SensoryAbuse
817* SerialKiller: A murderer who has made a sick hobby of killing a series of individual people, one after another.
818* SerialRapist: A sick pervert who has made a hobby out of molesting and raping people.
819* TheSevenMysteries
820* SexSignalsDeath: People get murdered after having sex.
821* ShadowDiscretionShot
822* ShootTheShaggyDog: The story ends with the protagonists dying rendering their efforts to stop the evil pointless.
823* SickeningCrunch
824* SicklyGreenGlow
825* SilverBullet: Weapons made of silver are extra-effective against supernatural beings, usually vampires or werewolves.
826* SinisterCar
827* SinisterGeometry
828* SinisterMinister
829* SinisterNudity: Nudity is used as a signifier of villainy and horror.
830* SinisterScrapingSound
831* SinisterScythe
832* SinisterSouthwest
833* SinisterSubway
834* SinisterWhistling
835* SirensAreMermaids: Don't let their beauty fool you, these sea nymphs don't intend to keep you around after dinnertime.
836* SkeleBot9000: A robot that looks like a skeleton.
837* SkeletonCrew
838* SkullForAHead
839* SlasherSmile: A villain has a broad and disturbing grin, usually shown before or after causing serious mayhem.
840* SlashersPreferBlondes: Murderers tend to target blonde-haired women.
841* SleepParalysisCreature
842* SlowTransformation: A metamorphosis is gradual, building up dramatic tension until it's complete.
843* SnakesAreSinister: Snakes are creepy.
844* SnowballingThreat: Most classic horror monsters grow in power exponentially.
845* SnuffFilm: A film that portrays real torture and murder.
846* TheSociopath: A person lacking in empathy and morals can be capable of doing very evil, scary things without hesitation or remorse.
847* SoleSurvivingScientist
848* SortingAlgorithmOfMortality: The order in which characters are typically killed.
849* SoulJar
850* SoundOnlyDeath: The violence is only heard, not seen.
851* SouthernGothic: Horror, madness and decadence in the southern U.S.
852* SouthernGothicSatan: A mysterious stranger arrives in town to bring its sins to light and make sure that it's eaten alive by them.
853* SpaceIsolationHorror: The fright comes primarily from being isolated in the cold, dark void of space, occasionally magnified by an external threat like an alien or a dangerous AI.
854* SpawnBroodling
855* SpeakOfTheDevil
856* SpidersAreScary: A monstrous spider that you should be terrified of, whether you have arachnophobia or not.
857* SpiderSwarm
858* SpiritWorld: The world of spirits.
859* SpookyAnimalSounds: Ambient animal sounds used to create an atmosphere of danger.
860* SpookyPainting
861* SpookyPhotographs
862* SpookySeance: A séance where weird and paranormal things occur.
863* SpreeKiller: A mass-murderer who goes on a quick killing spree.
864* SpringHeeledJack: A Victorian {{urban legend|s}} about an iron-clawed, high-jumping demon stalking London.
865* SpringLoadedCorpse
866* StagesOfMonsterGrief
867* StakingTheLovedOne: Being forced to kill someone you care about after they've been turned into a monster.
868* StalkerShot: A character thinks she's alone until the camera reveals she's being stalked without her knowledge.
869* TheStarsAreGoingOut: Stars going out, usually used to indicate an apocalypse.
870* StingyJack: A figure with a pumpkin head doomed to WalkingTheEarth.
871* StockSlasher: The archetypal SlasherMovie villain: a [[ImplacableMan nigh-invincible]], [[MalevolentMaskedMen masked]] or [[RedRightHand deformed]] {{serial|Killer}}/{{spree killer}}.
872* StrappedToAnOperatingTable
873* StringyHairedGhostGirl: A (often Japanese) female ghost with long black hair and a white dress.
874* StrippedToTheBone: Someone is killed in a way that their skeleton is all that's left of them.
875* SuburbanGothic: Horror, madness and decadence in {{Suburbia}}.
876* SubhumanSurfacingShot: A shot of a character slowly rising from water, often used to emphasize inhumanity and/or menace.
877* SuccubiAndIncubi: Demons are sensual and seductive, or simply rapists.
878* SuddenSequelDeathSyndrome: A survivor in the first film is killed off at the start of the film.
879* SugarApocalypse: An [[SugarBowl idyllic and saccharine place]] gets destroyed or conquered by sinister forces.
880* SuitWithVestedInterests
881* SummoningArtifact: An artifact that summons a monster.
882* SummoningRitual
883* SummonMagic
884* SupernaturalHotspotTown: A town that attracts the supernatural.
885* SupernaturalLight
886* SupernaturalProofFather
887* SuperPersistentPredator: A hunter or monster that will endlessly chase its prey until they've got them.
888* SuperweaponSuspenseSubversion: {{Superweapon}}s, especially those that are indiscriminately destructive, are nightmarish in their abilities, and authors can thus play up the horror of one by merely pretending to fire them.
889* SupportingTheMonsterLovedOne
890* SurprisinglySuddenDeath
891* SurrealHorror: When weird, bizarre, and outright nonsensical things become very frightening.
892* SwampMonster: A monstrous creature that resides in a swamp.
893* SwampsAreEvil: It's especially a bad idea to venture too deeply inside forested wetlands.
894* SwarmOfRats: A huge, clustered mob of rats.
895[[/folder]]
896
897[[folder:T]]
898* TaintedVeins
899* TakenDuringTheEnding: A character/object is taken away at the end of the story for a purpose, leaving it ambiguous on what's going to happen next.
900* TarotMotifs: Tarot cards used as symbolism.
901* TaxidermyIsCreepy: Stuffed animals -- or the people who stuff them -- are used to disconcerting effect.
902* TaxidermyTerror
903* TearOffYourFace
904* TearsOfBlood
905* TechnicolorMagic
906* TechnicolorToxin
907* TeenHorror: Scary things happening to teenagers, usually in order to scare teenagers.
908* TelevisionPortal
909* TentacledTerror: Many strange monsters have tentacles for some reason, perfect for grabbing their prey.
910* TentativeLight
911* TerrifyingPetStoreRat
912* TerrorAtMakeOutPoint
913* TerrorHero: A heroic character with a frightening disposition who everyone is terrified of.
914* TheatrePhantom
915* TheseAreThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow
916* ThingsThatGoBumpInTheNight
917* ThisWasHisTrueForm
918* ThreateningShark: A vicious shark.
919* ThroughTheEyesOfMadness
920* ToiletHorror: Bad things happening while you're in the bathroom.
921* TombstoneTeeth
922* TomeOfEldritchLore: A book full of dangerous occult knowledge.
923* TongueTrauma
924* TooManyMouths
925* TooMuchForManToHandle
926* TorchesAndPitchforks
927* TorsoWithAView: Killing someone by shooting a hole through their chest.
928* TortureCellar
929* TorturedMonster
930* TortureTechnician
931* ToServeMan: Non-human creatures like to eat human beings.
932* TouchOfTheMonster
933* TownWithADarkSecret: The inhabitants of a small town or village are hiding some sort of sinister secrets from outsiders.
934* TheTragicRose
935* TransformationHorror: [[{{Shapeshifting}} Physical changes]] that look and feel terrible for whoever experiences them.
936* TranshumanTreachery
937* TrappedInContainment
938* TrappedWithMonsterPlot
939* TrashyTouristTrap: Where they ''literally'' trap the tourists!
940* TraumaticCSection: A pregnant woman has the fetus ripped from their body.
941* {{Tulpa}}
942* TunelessSongOfMadness
943* TwoFaced
944[[/folder]]
945
946[[folder:U]]
947* {{Uberwald}}: A location in Eastern Europe filled with supernatural spookiness (especially vampires and werewolves).
948* UncannyAtmosphere
949* UncannyValley: Characters consider something that isn't alive or real to be disturbing for being too lifelike or realistic in appearance.
950* UncannyValleyGirl: She seems perfect, but there's something... ''not quite right'' about this girl.
951* UncannyValleyMakeup: Makeup that makes the wearer look disconcerting.
952* UndeadAbomination: An eldritch abomination that’s undead.
953* UndeadAuthor: A dead person tells the story of how they were killed.
954* UndeadChild: A dead kid who has returned as a ghost/vampire/zombie/etc.
955* UndeathAlwaysEnds
956* UndeathlyPallor: The undead have pale skin.
957* UnexpectedlyAbandoned
958* UnfinishedBusiness
959* UnholyGround
960* UnintentionalUncannyValley: Viewers consider something that isn't alive or real to be disturbing for being too lifelike or realistic in appearance.
961* UnnaturallyLoopingLocation
962* UnnervinglyHeartwarming: An outwardly heartwarming moment made deliberately unsettling or even horrific through undermining elements.
963* UnseenEvil
964* UpCloseWithTheMonster
965* UrbanLegends: Modern myths and folktales, which are sometimes also horror stories (supernatural or otherwise).
966[[/folder]]
967
968[[folder:V]]
969* VaginaDentata: Vaginas with teeth.
970* VampireBitesSuck: Being on the receiving end of a vampire's fangs is obviously gonna be really painful.
971* VampireHickey: When a vampire leaves their bite mark on a victim, allowing someone to find it when they examine said victim and/or it staying with the victim after they turn.
972* VampiresAreSexGods: Vampires are often depicted as sexually seductive predators who use their beauty and charms to lure human prey to their doom.
973* VampiresHateGarlic
974* VampiresSleepInCoffins: Undead vampires are depicted sleeping in coffins. You better not wake them up!
975* VampireVarietyPack
976* VanHelsingHateCrimes: Someone tries to kill monsters who aren't intending to harm or kill anyone.
977* VengefulAbandonedToy: A sentient toy turns evil after being abandoned or forgotten.
978* VengefulGhost: The angry spirit of a dead person (especially a murder or suicide victim) who rises from their grave to seek revenge on their enemies.
979* VerticalKidnapping: A character is dragged upwards by the villain and kidnapped/killed.
980* ViolenceIsDisturbing: Using graphically gruesome acts of violence for shock factor.
981* ViralTransformation: Some monsters can attack and turn people into more of their kind.
982* TheVirus: A monster that has the ability to turn others into other monsters.
983* VirusVictimSymptoms: The symptoms after being infected by a monster.
984* VoiceChangeling: A monster lures in prey by imitating the voice of someone or something that sounds harmless.
985* VomitIndiscretionShot
986[[/folder]]
987
988[[folder:W]]
989* WallCrawl: A character supernaturally crawls on a wall.
990* TheWallsHaveEyes
991* WarIsHell: Violent conflict between opposing armed forces will inevitably result in lots of people (soldiers and civilians alike) dying gruesomely, while the survivors may be badly injured or mentally traumatized for the rest of their lives.
992* WasOnceAMan: A monster that started off as an ordinary human being before circumstances turned them into a creature of nightmares.
993* WaxMuseumMorgue: A museum where the "dummies" are actually the preserved corpses of people the owner has killed.
994* WeAreExperiencingTechnicalDifficulties
995* WeightLossHorror: If it results in you starving to the point of death, then yeah losing weight can be very unpleasant.
996* WeirdMoon
997* TheWeirdSisters
998* {{Wendigo}}: A [[WasOnceAMan formerly human monster]] from [[Myth/NativeAmericanMythology Algonquian mythology]], transformed by [[ImAHumanitarian cannibalism]] into becoming a ferocious predator with an insatiable hunger for human flesh.
999* WhatHappenedToMommy
1000* WhiteMaskOfDoom: Chances are, the man in a white mask is not your friend.
1001* WhoYouGonnaCall: A service dedicated to getting rid of supernatural pests.
1002* WickedWitch: An evil witch.
1003* WightInAWeddingDress: A undead creature in a bridal gown.
1004* WinterOfStarvation: Characters become desperate for food during the winter, and may be driven to doing immoral things to survive.
1005* WipeThatSmileOffYourFace
1006* TheWitchHunter
1007* WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity: Supernatural powers take a toll on the psyche of the user.
1008* WolfMan: A humanoid werewolf.
1009* WolvesAlwaysHowlAtTheMoon
1010* WombHorror
1011* WordSaladHorror: Random words are played for horror.
1012* WorldOfChaos
1013* TheWormThatWalks: A person that's really a colony of insects in disguise.
1014* WouldHurtAChild: When the villain has no qualms with harming children.
1015[[/folder]]
1016
1017[[folder:X]]
1018* XenomorphXerox: A monster based on the Xenomorphs from the ''Franchise/{{Alien}}'' movies.
1019[[/folder]]
1020
1021[[folder:Y]]
1022* YouAreWhoYouEat: A creature or person can absorb features and abilities from its victims.
1023* YouLookLikeYouveSeenAGhost
1024* YourSoulIsMine
1025[[/folder]]
1026
1027[[folder:Z]]
1028* ZombieApocalypse: An outbreak of TheVirus that turns people into [[OurZombiesAreDifferent zombies]] (or some other type of monster) becomes a global pandemic that causes the destruction of global civilization.
1029* ZombiePukeAttack: Zombies can vomit up acidic bile as a weapon.
1030* ZombifyTheLiving
1031[[/folder]]

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