terror

noun

ter·​ror ˈter-ər 

ˈte-rər

plural terrors

1

: a state of intense or overwhelming fear

overcome by terror

people fleeing the scene in terror

He lived in terror of being caught.

2

: violence or the threat of violence used as a weapon of intimidation or coercion

a regime that rules by terror

especially : violent or destructive acts (such as bombing) committed by groups in order to intimidate a population or government into granting their demands

an act of terror

the war on terror

—sometimes used before another noun

a terror attack

3

: a very frightening or terrifying aspect

the terrors of war

4

a

: someone or something that inspires fear : scourge

I stood before fierce Mrs. Mabel Johnston, his secretary and the terror of the office.

—Russell Baker

Before rifles were available to Eskimo hunters, bears were truly the terror of their existence.

—Charles T. Feazel

b

informal : an extremely disruptive or annoying person or thing

especially : a misbehaving child : brat

Their son is a little terror.

5

: reign of terror

terrorless

ˈter-ər-ləs 

ˈte-rər-

adjective

Synonyms

• affliction
• demon
• daemon
• hang-up
• torment

Choose the Right Synonym for terror

fear, dread, fright, alarm, panic, terror, trepidation mean painful agitation in the presence or anticipation of danger.

fear is the most general term and implies anxiety and usually loss of courage.

fear of the unknown

dread usually adds the idea of intense reluctance to face or meet a person or situation and suggests aversion as well as anxiety.

faced the meeting with dread

fright implies the shock of sudden, startling fear.

fright at being awakened suddenly

alarm suggests a sudden and intense awareness of immediate danger.

view the situation with alarm

panic implies unreasoning and overmastering fear causing hysterical activity.

the news caused widespread panic

terror implies the most extreme degree of fear.

immobilized with terror

trepidation adds to dread the implications of timidity, trembling, and hesitation.

raised the subject with trepidation

Examples of terror in a Sentence

The sound of guns being fired fills me with terror.

Many civilians fled in terror.

a terror that is still fresh in her memory

the terrors of life in the jungle

a regime that rules by terror

bombings and other acts of terror

These people have been living with terror and the threat of terror for many years.

a campaign of terror against ethnic minority groups

Recent Examples on the Web

An article on Friday about the possible impact that psychedelics could have on survivors of the Oct. 7 terror attacks in Israel misspelled the surname of psychology professor at the University of Haifa. —New York Times, 16 Apr. 2024

And everything he's been doing, literally since the seventh of October [when a Hamas terror attack started Israel's war in Gaza], has been designed to that outcome. —Tal Axelrod, ABC News, 14 Apr. 2024

As a war movie, Civil War is well made, dropping audiences into the shock and terror of American slaughter. —Devan Coggan, EW.com, 12 Apr. 2024

But some experts — like Ambassador Dennis Ross, a former U.S. Middle East envoy — have warned that fully eradicating Hamas, or any terror group, is difficult. —NPR, 12 Apr. 2024

And then, of course, during the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, Montgomery was also a community where racial violence and terror lynchings took place in ways that have had profound impacts on the community. —Mackenzie McCarty, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 Apr. 2024

Garza was caught between anti-Mexican violence in Texas and Díaz’s terror in Mexico. —TIME, 9 Apr. 2024

The political heroes of this moment are the men and women who have retained the ability to make clear distinctions between Israel and Hamas, between freedom, equality, and the rule of law and violence, terror, and fear. —Matthew Continetti, National Review, 6 Apr. 2024

Advertisement Nine million Black Americans subjected to the domestic terror of Jim Crow-era violence that left justice in the hands of racist vigilantes. —Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French terrour, from Latin terror, from terrēre to frighten; akin to Greek trein to be afraid, flee, tremein to tremble — more at tremble

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing terror

• counter-terror
• hold no terror(s)
• holy terror
• night terror
• reign of terror

Kids Definition

terror

noun

ter·​ror ˈter-ər 

1

: a state of great fear

2

: a cause of great fear

3

: a dreadful person or thing

especially : an unruly child

4

: violent or destructive acts (as bombing) committed by a group as a way of achieving its goals

Legal Definition

terror

noun

ter·​ror

: an intense fear of physical injury or death

inflict terror by forced entry or unlawful assembly

also : the infliction of such fear

an act of terror