terrify

verb

ter·​ri·​fy ˈter-ə-ˌfī 

ˈte-rə-

terrified; terrifying

transitive verb

1

a

: to drive or impel by menacing : scare

b

: deter, intimidate

2

: to fill with terror

Synonyms of terrify

• frighten
• scare
• startle

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

While the Fourth of July can be a ton of fun, loud fireworks and firecrackers can terrify pets — and concern their owners. — Jen Reeder, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026

The old him would have been terrified of going onstage, a public humiliation waiting to happen. — Sophie Lindberg, Kansas City Star, 3 July 2026

Even now at more than 50 years old, there is something undeniable about the movie’s ability to entertain, delight and terrify an audience. — Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026

The trailer teases Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the titular creature, who undergoes an intense transformation that leaves the townspeople terrified. — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 29 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin terrificare, from terrificus

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for terrify

• abscissae
• adonai
• alibi
• alkali
• alumni
• amoebae
• amplify
• annuli
• beautify
• brachii
• butterfly
• calculi

Kids Definition

terrify

verb

ter·​ri·​fy ˈter-ə-ˌfī 

terrified; terrifying

: to fill with terror

terrifyingly

-ˌfī-iŋ-lē

adverb