as in to frighten
to strike with fear
the prospect of speaking in front of a huge crowd of people absolutely terrifies me
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Recent Examples of terrify
Kids who were terrified of snakes stepped a little closer.
—
Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Feb. 2026
Parents in our network describe being terrified, with some fearing their children, many of whom have legal status, could be used as leverage against family members.
—Daniel Anello, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
Fewer said she and her dog were terrified by the booms.
—Tori Apodaca, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
They were terrified that their children would be drafted; apartheid had become unbearable.
—Eve Fairbanks, The Dial, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for terrify
Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Feb. 2026
Parents in our network describe being terrified, with some fearing their children, many of whom have legal status, could be used as leverage against family members.
—Daniel Anello, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
Fewer said she and her dog were terrified by the booms.
—Tori Apodaca, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
They were terrified that their children would be drafted; apartheid had become unbearable.
—Eve Fairbanks, The Dial, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for terrify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrify
Verb
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The state spent more than $2 million on nonlethal efforts to drive the wolves away from human communities, working day and night over the summer to frighten them with drones, flags, rubber bullets and beanbags, among other methods.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
6 Feb. 2026
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This is no longer about ideology, this is about standing up for those who are being wrongly arrested, being unfairly harassed or being made to feel constantly frightened in their own homes.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As federal agents try to scare and provoke, in a way that could easily undermine the cause, such training is essential to ensure peaceful protesters do not take the bait.—
Elizabeth Shackelford,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Feb. 2026
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The presence or the expectation of violence scares people away from democracy.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Twyla Tharp’s ballet Push Comes to Shove, which premiered in 1976, startled and delighted audiences with its coy, self-referential humor, and its flirtation with popular dance styles such as jazz and tango.—
Sara Krolewski,
The Atlantic,
5 Feb. 2026
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After several chest compressions, Briana startled awake and cried.—
Jayme Fraser,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Terrify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrify. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
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