night terror

noun

: a sudden awakening in dazed terror that occurs in children during slow-wave sleep, is often preceded by a sudden shrill cry uttered in sleep, and is not remembered when the child awakes

—usually plural

Examples of night terror in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Those include the harrowing night terrors Tony begins to experience — intense, frightening nightmares that cause people with Parkinson’s to violently act out in their sleep. — Michael Rechtshaffen, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026

In this intensely creepy horror flick, Jasmine Mathews stars as a young woman with a history of night terrors after her traumatic childhood. — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026

Sleep talking that occurs alongside night terrors, sleepwalking or breathing disruptions also warrants clinical attention. — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026

Parents report school-age children wetting the bed again, sucking their thumbs and experiencing frequent night terrors. — Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC news, 13 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1889, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for night terror

• cupbearer
• declarer
• preparer
• repairer
• seafarer
• wayfarer
• bearer
• carer
• error
• fairer
• ferrer
• rarer

Medical Definition

night terror

noun

night ter·​ror -ˈter-ər 

: a sudden awakening in dazed terror that occurs in children during slow-wave sleep, is often preceded by a sudden shrill cry uttered in sleep, and is not remembered when the child awakes

—usually used in plural

called also pavor nocturnus