as in frightened
filled with fear or dread
terrified dogs hiding under the couch
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in scared
to strike with fear
the prospect of speaking in front of a huge crowd of people absolutely terrifies me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of terrified
Max Goldbart, Deadline, 23 Dec. 2024
My Hugo would chase it and bark at it, or he'd be terrified.
—Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024
McDonald plays her as a tragic heroine terrified of abandonment.
—Adam Moss, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2024
Although conditions in Malibu may not be among the worst firefighters have seen, the Franklin fire has torched several vehicles and left residents who had to flee terrified.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 10 Dec. 2024
As the fighting ramped up in September, with daily missile barrages on the entire north, people were terrified of driving, fearing they’d be caught on the roads without shelter.
—Dina Kraft, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Dec. 2024
Several subway riders testified they were terrified Neely was going to attack and they were relieved when Penny put him in a chokehold and kept him there.
—Gloria Pazmino, CNN, 9 Dec. 2024
My Unsung Hero She was terrified waiting for surgery.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 5 Dec. 2024
To put that into context, people are terrified of aging or miserable in their bodies.
—Essence, 5 Dec. 2024
Verb
The movie sees the revival of arch-villain Feathers McGraw, who terrified kids in 1993’s The Wrong Trousers.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 23 Dec. 2024
My Hugo would chase it and bark at it, or he'd be terrified.
—Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024
McDonald plays her as a tragic heroine terrified of abandonment.
—Adam Moss, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2024
Although conditions in Malibu may not be among the worst firefighters have seen, the Franklin fire has torched several vehicles and left residents who had to flee terrified.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 10 Dec. 2024
As the fighting ramped up in September, with daily missile barrages on the entire north, people were terrified of driving, fearing they’d be caught on the roads without shelter.
—Dina Kraft, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Dec. 2024
Several subway riders testified they were terrified Neely was going to attack and they were relieved when Penny put him in a chokehold and kept him there.
—Gloria Pazmino, CNN, 9 Dec. 2024
My Unsung Hero She was terrified waiting for surgery.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 5 Dec. 2024
To put that into context, people are terrified of aging or miserable in their bodies.
—Essence, 5 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrified
Adjective
-
When a deputy arrived, the victim was shaking and frightened, the complaint said.—
Dylan Gentile,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2025
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The next night, her sister Gwen said Selonia became frightened when a relative who was visiting Selonia spotted Jimmy Ray Barnes near her home.—
Vladimir Duthiers, Paul LaRosa,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Don’t be afraid of just pausing for a second — this could be a great time for more dirty talk or caressing — particularly once the whole hand is inside.—
Quispe López,
Them.,
30 Apr. 2025
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Hairston impressed at the combine in Indianapolis by running a 4.28 40-yard dash and has the speed to keep everything in front while not being afraid to get physical.—
Bryce Lazenby,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The Bears should be hoping other teams are scared off by Campbell’s shorter-than-ideal arms.—
Brad Biggs,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Apr. 2025
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But much of the problem then was that Europeans were simply not scared enough to do their part.—
Barry R. Posen,
Foreign Affairs,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Dia is shocked when she’s chosen for a highly coveted internship, along with six other teenagers from around the world.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
24 Apr. 2025
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As a result, the dwarf planet likely has an abundance of highly shocked material, which could be an important target for future sampling missions there.—
Jack Knudson,
Discover Magazine,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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McCabe, who is in her 50s, has a chronic condition known as Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), and immediately became alarmed.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
17 Apr. 2025
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My community is deeply alarmed at the rise of antisemitism on college campuses, city streets and online since the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks in Israel.—
Ari Hart,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
But the hauling and dumping operation has led to a dramatic fallout between county officials and Tujunga residents and is another example of a community fearful of accepting debris related to the Eaton and Palisades fires.—
Dakota Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2025
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Victim fearful of ex-boyfriend In court documents, Garcia-Molina described how Nathan stalked her after their five-month relationship, which ended in November 2024.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
27 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Terrified.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrified. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
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