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
Paired with the gray-ish green color palette, sparse decor, and dark atmospherics in the Institute itself, the bleak vibes may be enough to turn some viewers off for good, especially those horror purists who tune in hoping to be terrified rather than just bummed out.
—
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 13 July 2025
In a city where so many big plans have gone so badly for 30 years, San Diego residents shouldn’t just be wary when another bold proposal comes long — they should be terrified.
—U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 July 2025
The raid has terrified the immigrant populations who work in the area’s farms and the executives who run California’s cannabis operation.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2025
Many of these same users are terrified that the agents will replace their jobs.
—Gene Marks, Forbes.com, 6 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for terrify
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.
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 13 July 2025
In a city where so many big plans have gone so badly for 30 years, San Diego residents shouldn’t just be wary when another bold proposal comes long — they should be terrified.
—U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 July 2025
The raid has terrified the immigrant populations who work in the area’s farms and the executives who run California’s cannabis operation.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2025
Many of these same users are terrified that the agents will replace their jobs.
—Gene Marks, Forbes.com, 6 July 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 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
terrify
verb
ter·ri·fy
ˈter-ə-ˌfī
terrified; terrifying
: to fill with terror
terrifyingly
adverb
-ˌfī-iŋ-lē
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share