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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of terrify
The electrical equipment was fried, and the boat operator was terrified.
—
Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
But the quality that terrified me the most in the Joker was his unpredictability.
—The Atlantic Culture Desk, The Atlantic, 29 Oct. 2025
And that should terrify the rest of the league.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 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
See All Example Sentences for terrify
Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
But the quality that terrified me the most in the Joker was his unpredictability.
—The Atlantic Culture Desk, The Atlantic, 29 Oct. 2025
And that should terrify the rest of the league.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 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
See All Example Sentences for terrify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrify
Verb
-
These political executions are a callous attempt by the authorities to frighten and silence an increasingly restive population no longer willing to accept their corrupt and oppressive rule.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
6 Nov. 2025
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Tens of millions of dollars have been spent to redefine reality and to convince our neighbors that this new age is something that should frighten them.—
TIME Video,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Still, the company faces the same existential headwinds that have scared other would-be moguls away from the news business.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Skinner has gone to back-to-back Cup Finals, but the volatility in his game probably scares decision-makers.—
Chris Johnston,
New York Times,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
His ability to perceive her internal struggles startled the standup.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
10 Nov. 2025
-
The boy looked up mid-sob, startled.—
George Packer,
The Atlantic,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Terrify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrify. Accessed 20 Nov. 2025.
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