as in to frighten
to strike with fear
the prospect of speaking in front of a huge crowd of people absolutely terrifies me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of terrify
And that should terrify the rest of the league.
—
Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 27 Oct. 2025
While film critics typically lead with the physical transformation that Sweeney pulled off, equally impressive is her ability to delve into the psyche of a woman who was fearless in the ring but rightfully terrified of the man closest to her.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 27 Oct. 2025
Through twisting corridors and multiple stories, guests encounter terrifying live actors, special effects, and nightmarish monsters.
—Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 23 Oct. 2025
Monroe has to slowly tilt from being beguiled and intrigued by Stevens to totally terrified by him, and her ability to pull it off while explosions and gun battles are going on around her sells the film’s tonal shifts perfectly.
—Matthew Jackson, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for terrify
Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 27 Oct. 2025
While film critics typically lead with the physical transformation that Sweeney pulled off, equally impressive is her ability to delve into the psyche of a woman who was fearless in the ring but rightfully terrified of the man closest to her.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 27 Oct. 2025
Through twisting corridors and multiple stories, guests encounter terrifying live actors, special effects, and nightmarish monsters.
—Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 23 Oct. 2025
Monroe has to slowly tilt from being beguiled and intrigued by Stevens to totally terrified by him, and her ability to pull it off while explosions and gun battles are going on around her sells the film’s tonal shifts perfectly.
—Matthew Jackson, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for terrify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrify
Verb
-
When the Maitlands' attempts to frighten the Deetzes away fail miserably, Barbara and Adam turn to the mysterious and mischievous Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) to rid them of the living.—
Steven Thrash,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Around 100 pairs were found abandoned on the roof, perhaps due to the thieves being frightened away, Sheriff John Budensiek said at the news conference.—
Mark Price,
Miami Herald,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
That’s something that scares me a little bit about not just theater, but people giving any opinions about any business.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Allow your emotions, even the ones that scare you, to come and go without judgment.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Across America, Halloween spending is expected to reach record levels this year, including large crowds waiting for their chance to be chased, startled and screamed at.—
Isabel Rosales,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
-
White disappears completely into the role without skirting parody, portraying the exhausted hitmaker as startled by his own numbness, blanked out and unsure of what to do next.—
Sadie Sartini Garner,
Pitchfork,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Terrify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrify. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share