Can "悪夢" be used metaphorically?


In English, the word "nightmare" isn't used just literally for a bad dream you
have at night-time, but also metaphorically to describe a very bad scenario,
such as "Can Samsung recover from its Galaxy Note 7 nightmare?".

Can 悪夢 be used metaphorically? jisho.org seems to suggest it can't be, but
I've seen someone translate a metaphorical use of "nightmare" using "悪夢",
possibly incorrectly.




**Yes**. 悪夢 can be used metaphorically.

See [this dictionary
entry](http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/jn/2956/meaning/m1u/%E6%82%AA%E5%A4%A2/):

> １ いやな恐ろしい夢。また、不吉な夢。「―にうなされる」
>
> ２ 夢としか思えないような、思い出すのもいやで恐ろしい現実のたとえ。「戦争の―」

2 is what you mentioned. For example, 戦争の悪夢 is like "nightmare of war".




**Yes**. 悪夢 can be used metaphorically.

See [this dictionary
entry](http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/jn/2956/meaning/m1u/%E6%82%AA%E5%A4%A2/):

> １ いやな恐ろしい夢。また、不吉な夢。「―にうなされる」
>
> ２ 夢としか思えないような、思い出すのもいやで恐ろしい現実のたとえ。「戦争の―」

2 is what you mentioned. For example, 戦争の悪夢 is like "nightmare of war".

