terrorize

verb

ter·​ror·​ize ˈter-ər-ˌīz 

terrorized; terrorizing

transitive verb

1

: to fill with terror or anxiety : scare

2

: to coerce by threat or violence

terrorization

ˌter-ər-ə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

Synonyms of terrorize

• frighten
• scare
• terrify
• startle

Examples of terrorize in a Sentence

As a child she terrorized her younger siblings.

She was terrorized by nightmares.

Employees were terrorized into accepting abysmal working conditions.

Recent Examples on the Web

Undeterred, Ghidorah returned for a rematch just a year later in Invasion of Astro Monster (1965), after being discovered supposedly terrorizing the inhabitants of Planet X, a world found beyond Jupiter. — Robert Lea, Space.com, 8 Nov. 2026

Armed with a baseball bat and a shotgun, the Platt family must survive the dinosaurs terrorizing their quaint 1980s neighborhood, rescue their family dog Starbuck and uncover what has happened to Oak Street. — Mya Copeland, Variety, 6 Nov. 2026

Between 1979 and 1981, Atlanta was terrorized by the disappearances and murders of Black children and young adults. — Allissa V. Richardson, The Conversation, 6 Nov. 2026

Stephen Miller is the architect of the unconstitutional ICE raids that have terrorized our communities and kidnapped and killed American citizens and immigrant families. — Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1823, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for terrorize

• advertise
• aggrandize
• alibis
• alkalies
• alkalis
• amortize
• amplifies
• analyse
• analyze
• anywise
• authorize
• butterflies

Kids Definition

terrorize

verb

ter·​ror·​ize ˈter-ər-ˌīz 

terrorized; terrorizing

1

: to fill with terror

2

: to force by threat or violence

terrorization

ˌter-ər-ə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

Legal Definition

terrorize

transitive verb

ter·​ror·​ize ˈter-ər-ˌīz 

terrorized; terrorizing

: to inflict terror upon

terrorization

ˌter-ər-ə-ˈzā-shən 

noun