terrific

adjective

tə-ˈri-fik How to pronounce terrific (audio)
Definition of terrificnext
1
as in excellent
of the very best kind you've done a terrific job on this report

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in gruesome
extremely disturbing or repellent a terrific murder that sickened even hard-bitten police officers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of terrific Freshman Deon’Dre Smith is having a terrific season for Bellflower at receiver. — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026 The Yoga Mini didn't look terrific in our productivity and content-creation tests. — Joe Osborne, PC Magazine, 2 Nov. 2026 Mainly notable for its high-octane car chases and terrific stunt work, the film should, like most of Neeson’s recent efforts, find its biggest audiences on streaming and cable. — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 28 Oct. 2026 Still, Philly is a tough place to play and this terrific Eagles defense can just about win a game by itself. — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 18 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for terrific
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrific
  1. excellent
  2. gruesome
  3. wonderful
  4. horrific
  5. great
  6. shocking
  7. superb
  8. terrible
Adjective
  • Bold from brown butter and balsamic vinegar and bright from lemon, the crunchy topping is an excellent foil to the sweetness of roasted squash.
    — Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Their bench even has some guys providing excellent backup options.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of excellent
Adjective
  • Thunder star Jalen Williams, the team’s second-leading scorer and best all-around defender during its title run two seasons ago, fractured a fibula and dislocated his left ankle in a gruesome injury Sunday.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Rescue workers continue to search in the wreckage for survivors and bodies, with witnesses describing a gruesome scene.
    — Anders Hagstrom, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of gruesome
Adjective
  • Their sorrowful slow-dance, at first with the air and then with each other, set to the ensemble evoking the crooning of a record player, is just wonderful.
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2026
  • There is a wonderful offhand quality to their scenes together.
    — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of wonderful
Adjective
  • First, Biden’s open borders let this monster into our country, then sanctuary politicians in New York refused to hand him over to ICE and released him after a previous arrest three months before this horrific crime.
    — Kelsie Cairns, FOXNews.com, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Travis Barker has an unfortunate connection to the horrific plane crash in Greenacres, Florida, on Sunday that killed all nine people on board — two crew and seven passengers.
    — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of horrific
Adjective
  • L3Harris claims its design can deliver greater range and speed than existing systems.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Tarantino revealed the most personally meaningful piece of casting in a film filled with great performances — including supporting turns by multiple actors (Austin Butler, Mikey Madison, Sydney Sweeney) who have blown up in the seven years since.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of great
Adjective
  • Democrats notched several shocking flips in seats President Donald won by double digits in 2024, meaning those districts will be some of the toughest to defend in a more even election cycle.
    — Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Democrats felt optimistic about taking the majority earlier in the night than some had expected after the shocking win in South Carolina.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of shocking
Adjective
  • La Dame utilizes some ingredients only seen here, such as France’s superb Normandy butter.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Oct. 2026
  • His ability to capture Haymitch’s warmth and charm and then weave that into the rage and heartbreak the Hunger Games sparks is superb.
    — Zack Sharf, Variety, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of superb
Adjective
  • The bat lay on its back, soggy and wretched, here in the waning hours of this terrible day.
    — Téa Obreht, New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2026
  • An ugly fight between teammates during training camp was a terrible start to a season that officially began with a loss against North Carolina, a game in Dublin that TCU essentially sold, against the desires of Dykes.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of terrible

Browse Nearby Words

terribly
terrific
terrifically
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Cite this Entry

“Terrific.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrific. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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