You can also use spooky words to describe events. 'A shiver ran down her spine as she witnessed the macabre scene unfold before her.' And don't forget about dialogue. A character could say, 'This place feels cursed.' Using these words in different parts of the story helps build the horror atmosphere.
Use them to describe the setting. For example, 'The gloomy forest loomed ahead, its ominous shadows stretching across the path.' This immediately sets a spooky mood. Another way is to use them for characters. 'The creepy old man stared with his beady eyes.'
Use words to create atmosphere. For example, words like 'foggy' and 'silent' can build up a spooky mood. Place them at the beginning of a scene to set the tone.
First, pick some words like 'dark', 'creaky', 'shadow'. Then start with a setting, for example, 'In a dark, old house, the creaky floorboards echoed as a shadow moved in the corner.' Just keep adding elements based on the words you've chosen.
Use words like 'ominous' and 'threatening'. For example, 'An ominous cloud hung over the old mansion.' The word 'ominous' immediately makes the reader feel that something bad is going to happen in that mansion. Also, 'threatening' can be used to describe a character or a situation, like 'The threatening figure emerged from the fog.'
One effective way to use scary words in a horror story is to create a contrast. For example, use a seemingly innocent word like 'doll' and then add a scary adjective like 'cursed'. This creates a sense of the familiar being turned into something terrifying. Also, use the scary words to create a sense of mystery. Instead of immediately revealing what the 'sinister' presence is, keep the readers guessing. This will make them more engaged and more frightened as they anticipate what might be lurking in the shadows.
Use words like 'haunting' to describe the place. For example, 'The old, haunting house stood at the end of the lane.'
First, pick words that create a spooky atmosphere like 'gloomy', 'creaking', and 'shadow'. Then, build a simple but effective plot. For example, a character hears 'creaking' noises in a 'gloomy' old house and sees strange'shadows' moving. Make the protagonist vulnerable and alone. Let the danger gradually approach. Don't reveal everything at once, keep some mystery.
First, pick words that evoke fear like 'darkness', 'gloom', 'creak'. For example, start with a scene in a dark, abandoned house. The creaking of the old floorboards as the character enters. Then add words like 'shadow' and 'whisper' to build tension. Maybe the character sees a shadowy figure out of the corner of their eye and hears a faint whisper. Keep the pacing slow at first and then quicken as the horror intensifies.
Use descriptions of gloomy settings like a fog - covered graveyard with crooked tombstones. The moonlight can be faint, casting long, eerie shadows. Sounds are also important. Add the howling of wolves in the distance or the creaking of old floorboards.
Let the words build tension. Start with milder words like 'eerie' at the beginning of a spooky scene and gradually progress to stronger ones like 'sinister' as the danger or mystery intensifies. This way, you can draw the reader deeper into the horror of the story. For example, first describe an 'eerie' mist that slowly reveals a 'sinister' figure lurking within.
One way is to use words that appeal to the senses. For example, words like 'stench' can make the reader almost smell the decay in a horror setting. Another is to use words that create a sense of unease, like 'twitch'. You can also use words that are associated with the unknown or the supernatural, such as 'occult'.