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
If the trend continues this Saturday, Republicans should be terrified.
—
Philip Elliott, Time, 24 Mar. 2026
Since his detainment, Maria said that she's been terrified of leaving the home.
—Conor Wight, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
He was terrified after hearing stories about people dying in the Oklahoma County jail, which was by then recognized as one of the deadliest in the nation.
—Brianna Bailey, The Frontier, 24 Mar. 2026
Patrick could move there tomorrow, but Russell has to be terrified of every sound.
—Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for terrify
Philip Elliott, Time, 24 Mar. 2026
Since his detainment, Maria said that she's been terrified of leaving the home.
—Conor Wight, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
He was terrified after hearing stories about people dying in the Oklahoma County jail, which was by then recognized as one of the deadliest in the nation.
—Brianna Bailey, The Frontier, 24 Mar. 2026
Patrick could move there tomorrow, but Russell has to be terrified of every sound.
—Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for terrify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrify
Verb
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There’s no surefire way to frighten bees and other stinger pollinators from your home, but there are ways to make your living space less attractive to them.—
Asia London Palomba,
The Spruce,
7 Apr. 2026
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When to see a doctor Ashamalla stressed that people shouldn’t be frightened by every ache or pain.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The coyote grabbed the boy and took him to the ground before a nearby adult rushed over and scared the animal away.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
9 Apr. 2026
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That didn’t scare off the Mets, who signed him to a two-year deal in December and invited him to spring training.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Maybe their first kiss wasn’t a spontaneous expression of care, but a deliberate attempt to startle Emma.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
8 Apr. 2026
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Horner dropped a package, McGuire said, and was startled by the team.—
Amelia Mugavero,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Terrify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrify. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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