as in to frighten
to strike with fear
thunderstorms terrorize our cats, who all scamper downstairs when lightning flashes
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 terrorize
Daisy hopes that this special moment will redeem the interior’s mistakes — the panty liner, the toilet paper shortage, the delay on the champagne — and Jenna works hard at the sundeck set-up while Mike terrorizes her, cracking unfunny jokes about her decorations and generally being unhelpful.
—
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2026
And some of the silence is designed to amplify the missing, the previously ignored, the co-opted, the terrorized, the gaslighted, and excluded voices of the country’s most ardent supporters of a multiracial democracy.
—Literary Hub, 30 Mar. 2026
While there have been multiple iterations of the KKK, in the 1960s, Klans throughout the country were responding to the Civil Rights Movement and desegregation by terrorizing Black activists and their allies.
—Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 30 Mar. 2026
For a survivor who has been repeatedly and continuously terrorized, the perception of being in mortal danger does not come into focus in a single, dramatic moment.
—Pamela Colloff, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for terrorize
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2026
And some of the silence is designed to amplify the missing, the previously ignored, the co-opted, the terrorized, the gaslighted, and excluded voices of the country’s most ardent supporters of a multiracial democracy.
—Literary Hub, 30 Mar. 2026
While there have been multiple iterations of the KKK, in the 1960s, Klans throughout the country were responding to the Civil Rights Movement and desegregation by terrorizing Black activists and their allies.
—Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 30 Mar. 2026
For a survivor who has been repeatedly and continuously terrorized, the perception of being in mortal danger does not come into focus in a single, dramatic moment.
—Pamela Colloff, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for terrorize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrorize
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
Less than a week after the Rangers selected him in the second round of the 2022 NHL Draft, Adam Sýkora stood 100 stories above downtown Manhattan, terrified.—
Peter Baugh,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The Hand & The Eye likely will open with little in the way of advance reservations, a situation that would terrify most producers of live entertainment.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Horner dropped a package, McGuire said, and was startled by the team.—
Amelia Mugavero,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Terrorize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrorize. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
