terrify
verb
ter·ri·fy
ˈter-ə-ˌfī 
ˈte-rə-
terrified; terrifying
1
a
: to drive or impel by menacing : scare
b
: deter, intimidate
2
: to fill with terror
Examples of terrify in a Sentence
The thought of dying alone terrifies her.
the prospect of speaking in front of a huge crowd of people absolutely terrifies me
Recent Examples on the Web
Through twisting corridors and multiple stories, guests encounter terrifying live actors, special effects, and nightmarish monsters.
—
Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 23 Oct. 2025
Monroe has to slowly tilt from being beguiled and intrigued by Stevens to totally terrified by him, and her ability to pull it off while explosions and gun battles are going on around her sells the film’s tonal shifts perfectly.
—Matthew Jackson, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2025
And that would be key going into any future battle with Homelander, who still terrified Neuman.
—Jennifer Maas, Variety, 22 Oct. 2025
While early allergen introduction is not without complexities, the measurable reduction in peanut allergies—once the most common pediatric food allergy and one that terrifies allergy parents—signals a milestone in preventive care.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for terrify
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Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 23 Oct. 2025
Monroe has to slowly tilt from being beguiled and intrigued by Stevens to totally terrified by him, and her ability to pull it off while explosions and gun battles are going on around her sells the film’s tonal shifts perfectly.
—Matthew Jackson, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2025
And that would be key going into any future battle with Homelander, who still terrified Neuman.
—Jennifer Maas, Variety, 22 Oct. 2025
While early allergen introduction is not without complexities, the measurable reduction in peanut allergies—once the most common pediatric food allergy and one that terrifies allergy parents—signals a milestone in preventive care.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for terrify
Cite this Entry
“Terrify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/terrify. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
terrify
verb
ter·ri·fy
ˈter-ə-ˌfī
terrified; terrifying
: to fill with terror
terrifyingly
adverb
-ˌfī-iŋ-lē
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