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
The house that the Americans strategically position themselves in is home to two families; there are occasional insert shots of family photos and trinkets, and at several points these families are shown cowering, terrified by what’s happening around them.
—
Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 17 Apr. 2025
Addie is gripping onto her seat completely terrified.
—Arick Wierson, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Apr. 2025
If the deportations don’t terrify you yet, consider this: Erik Prince, a close Trump ally and founder of the private military contractor Blackwater, is advancing a $25 billion proposal to the White House to build mass detention centers in order to deport some 12 million immigrants.
—Sandy Tolan, Rolling Stone, 16 Apr. 2025
The onset of a deep romantic bond proves as terrifying here as the apparent loss of love chronicled in past weepers.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for terrify
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Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 17 Apr. 2025
Addie is gripping onto her seat completely terrified.
—Arick Wierson, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Apr. 2025
If the deportations don’t terrify you yet, consider this: Erik Prince, a close Trump ally and founder of the private military contractor Blackwater, is advancing a $25 billion proposal to the White House to build mass detention centers in order to deport some 12 million immigrants.
—Sandy Tolan, Rolling Stone, 16 Apr. 2025
The onset of a deep romantic bond proves as terrifying here as the apparent loss of love chronicled in past weepers.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 15 Apr. 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 4 May. 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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