terrify

verb

ter·​ri·​fy ˈter-ə-ˌfī How to pronounce terrify (audio)
ˈte-rə-
terrified; terrifying

transitive verb

1
a
: to drive or impel by menacing : scare
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
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.
Chuck Schumer is terrified, but that's the reality of where Democrats are today. Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 July 2025 The trauma of the killings left her terrified to close her eyes and sleeping in her mom’s bed for reassurance no one would harm her. Rachel Roberts, Idaho Statesman, 24 July 2025 What terrifies you most about getting Bite Me out in the world? Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 22 July 2025 This is a timeline that often terrifies traditional lenders. Aditya Ranjan, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for terrify

Word History

Etymology

Latin terrificare, from terrificus

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of terrify was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Terrify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/terrify. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

terrify

verb
ter·​ri·​fy ˈter-ə-ˌfī How to pronounce terrify (audio)
terrified; terrifying
: to fill with terror
terrifyingly
-ˌfī-iŋ-lē
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on terrify

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!