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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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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 terrified

Adjective

Synagogues canceled Sabbath prayers, while terrified Jewish citizens were warned to conceal skullcaps and flee home. — Staff, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026 Word spread across the city that the Taliban had kill lists of Afghan women activists, and hundreds of terrified women went into hiding. — Azadeh Moaveni, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026 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

Verb

An unexplained light show over France And how better to kick off our Halloween skywatching tales than with a retelling of the strange event that terrified my entire family during a trip to France, two decades ago. — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 29 Oct. 2026 No wonder Dad had been terrified of making a mistake, of relaxing or trusting others enough to let his guard down. — Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026 Afterward, the boy was terrified of the police, said his mother, Colette James. — Rosie Cima, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026 By this point, the audience knows the monster a little too well to be properly terrified of her. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2026 Letter writer was terrified by friend’s constant phone use in the car — but only got mocked for speaking up. — Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2026 For years, Democratic candidates were terrified of being accused of wanting to raise taxes. — Nicholas Lemann, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026 And now 25-year-old Malika is terrified that Kalsoum, her youngest daughter, will meet the same fate as Khadija. — ABC News, 4 Oct. 2026 Marris was terrified for her daughter and furious with herself. — CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrified

Adjective

Discovering that your identity has been stolen can leave you feeling angry, frightened and unsure where to begin.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
In one video, a young orangutan can be seen crouching in the corner of a small, dark crate, its frightened eyes wide open.

— Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of frightened

Verb

That’s a $69,000 per-screen average — a far cry from La La Land ($176K) or even Anora ($91K), but in line with the likes of Poor Things and I, Tonya, showing that the streamers’ imprimatur hasn’t scared off theatrical audiences.

— Nate Jones, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026
Although Down was not the victim, the case definitely scared her family.

— Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of scared

Adjective

For trick-or-treating, the department warned that small children may be afraid of dogs, while dogs themselves may be afraid of all the commotion with gaggles of kids coming to the door.

— Adam Harrington, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026
Students reported feeling threatened or afraid to be on campus.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of afraid

Verb

Surveillance footage & evidence Police reviewed surveillance footage in the area, which showed the two gunshot victims walking, then appear startled, according to court records.

— Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2026
However, startled by the activation of the security system, the suspect fled the scene without stealing any loot.

— Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of startled

Adjective

Gomez, 67, recalled, watching as responding officers pulled a horrified boy from the car.

— Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026
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

Definition of horrified

Adjective

Many attendees in the chambers appeared shocked and confused at the proposal for the new ordinance.

— Lauren Fichten, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
The first thing a newborn baby touches upon entering the world is cloth—a towel or blanket wrapped around its shocked little body.

— Livia Caligor, Vogue, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of shocked

Adjective

The previous June, during a COVID wave in Moscow, his wife, Anna Matveeva, a photographer and a film editor, had caught the virus, and Zvyagintsev, who had a long-standing lung condition and was fearful of falling ill, went to stay in his office.

— Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
For that reason, Corron cast his ballot for Ciscomani, fearful of what might happen if Democrats take control of Congress.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of fearful

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terrifically

terrified

terrifies

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“Terrified.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrified. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of terrified

adjective

verb

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