TERRIFIED Synonyms: 140 Similar and Opposite Words

terrified 1 of 2

adjective

as in frightened

filled with fear or dread terrified dogs hiding under the couch

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terrified

2 of 2

verb

past tense of terrify

as in scared

to strike with fear the prospect of speaking in front of a huge crowd of people absolutely terrifies me

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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 terrified

Adjective

Even after the attacker was restrained, passengers remained terrified. — Mitchell McCluskey, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026 This kind of conversation always leaves me half-amused, half-terrified. — Alicja Turczyk, The Dial, 29 Sep. 2026 His recent Instagram video of an iguana by his pool went viral, as a terrified Antetokounmpo watched the iguana from inside his new Pinecrest home. — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 28 Sep. 2026 That hasn’t changed; people are still terrified of me in one way or another. — Tiana Denicola, Variety, 17 Sep. 2026 Nora was feeling less terrified of her former partner and increasingly hopeful that his abuse was in the past. — Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026 The Tiguerones made international headlines in early 2024 when masked gang members stormed a TV studio during a live broadcast, firing shots and forcing terrified crew to the ground. — CBS News, 10 Sep. 2026 Instead, coaches have become more and more terrified through the years of seeing their players getting hurt during largely meaningless games in August. — Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 Tempe police ultimately convinced the couple, who were initially too terrified to report the incident, to share what had happened to them, documents said. — Perry Vandell, AZCentral.com, 26 Aug. 2026

Verb

For years, Democratic candidates were terrified of being accused of wanting to raise taxes. — Nicholas Lemann, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026 Marris was terrified for her daughter and furious with herself. — CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026 And where they, too, are terrified by the whims of those above them. — Mark Lilla, The New York Review of Books, 29 Sep. 2026 The one common thread the Dolphins have had as a franchise in the post-Dan Marino era is the fact everyone associated with this organization has been terrified of quarterbacks competing. — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 28 Sep. 2026 Though the real Lizzie Borden’s periods weren’t out of the ordinary, periods in general terrified the men of the day, who believed that menstruation could cause women to commit crimes. — Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 23 Sep. 2026 Elizabeth Pizzo was terrified earlier this year of what would happen to her son. — Jim Defede, CBS News, 20 Sep. 2026 So the whole point is for anyone with a fear of heights to sit in a theater for 90 minutes and be terrified? — Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 3 Sep. 2026 Looking back on taking over a character so closely associated with Parton, Hilty once admitted that the prospect of playing Doralee with Parton watching initially terrified her. — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrified

Adjective

Meanwhile, some of the frightened and wary passengers wondered about them and whether they could be trusted.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
He’s supposed to be embarrassed by me, not frightened for me.

— Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of frightened

Verb

And there are so many more that have stayed silent because people out there have told them not to speak up, who have scared them into not speaking up.

— Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2026
Elmore says the bear eventually climbed down the side of the truck, and employees scared it away from the area.

— Christa Swanson, CBS News, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of scared

Adjective

Despite not registering a goal or an assist in just over an hour on the pitch, the youngster was never afraid to receive the ball and try to make something happen.

— Ben Church, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2026
As in the past, the show’s creators are seemingly not afraid to bite the hand that feeds them.

— Tom Tapp, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of afraid

Adjective

Greg O'Neill, 63, was swimming at Sorrento Beach in the northern suburbs of Perth in Western Australia on Friday when the attack happened in front of horrified beachgoers.

— Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 20 Sep. 2026
Their Bell helicopters collided midair, sending flaming wreckage above the heads of horrified drivers on the Pasadena Freeway.

— Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of horrified

Adjective

Annual interest expenses will be well over $6 billion, a level that has alarmed deal critics.

— Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2026
Americans are increasingly alarmed about the security and sanctity of voting, and growing fears about intimidation efforts at polling places in the midterm elections.

— Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of alarmed

Adjective

Davidson struck me as being fearful, clinging to a handful of ugly stories about trans people as a sign of things to come in women-only spaces.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026
In the early days after his diagnosis, my dad grew more fearful, more depressed.

— Trisha Thadani Kirsten Potter Tanya Pérez Devin Murphy, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of fearful

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“Terrified.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrified. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of terrified

adjective

verb

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