What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
incubi
Example
The woman claimed that she was visited by an incubus in her sleep. [incubus: noun]
Example
I had an incubus last night, and it felt like I couldn't breathe. [incubus: nightmare]
nightmare
Example
I had a nightmare about falling off a cliff. [nightmare: noun]
Example
She woke up in the middle of the night, sweating and shaking from a nightmare. [nightmare: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Nightmare is a more common word than incubi and is used more frequently in everyday language to describe bad dreams.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between incubi and nightmare?
Neither incubi nor nightmare are particularly formal or informal words, and both can be used in various contexts without sounding out of place.
