put the fear of God into (someone)

idiom

: to frighten (someone) very badly
The bad economic news has put the fear of God into investors.

Examples of put the fear of God into (someone) in a Sentence

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Indeed, both Israel and the U.S. will have emerged from this war with more credibility regarding preemption against nuclear proliferators — a condition that, one hopes, will put the fear of God into rogue states thinking about pursuing their own bomb. The Editors, National Review, 24 June 2025 It was also meant to put the fear of God into viewers... literally. Jeremy Helligar, People.com, 30 May 2025 Whatever the case, the news of the bargain-basement selloff in Britain has certainly put the fear of God into collectors of similar supernatural souvenirs. Joe Queenan, WSJ, 30 July 2022 Oliver believes that jettisoning the consumer-welfare standard will put the fear of God into woke corporations. Robert H. Bork Jr., National Review, 14 July 2021 Medieval muralists put the fear of God into churchgoers with lurid scenarios of demons and devils. Kat McGowan, Discover Magazine, 25 Mar. 2019

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“Put the fear of God into (someone).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/put%20the%20fear%20of%20God%20into%20%28someone%29. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.

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