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
-
Not surprisingly, the woman being targeted by the scams was extremely frightened.—
Susan Tompor,
USA Today,
30 July 2025
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More than 25,000 onlookers came to see the whale over the next few days, but when a thunderstorm erupted on July 5, the whale became frightened.—
Kaycee Sloan,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
Adjective
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On particularly scorching days, don’t be afraid to offer a gentle reminder to the person in charge of your child’s welfare to refrain from leaving your kid in a hot car, even for a few minutes.—
Josh Max,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
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One of his short films, The Shepherd, delivered the kind of quiet, moral story most platforms are afraid to fund.—
Malana VanTyler,
USA Today,
4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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When a United Airlines flight issued a mayday call shortly after departure, passengers onboard were doubtlessly scared.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
5 Aug. 2025
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For those not scared of heights, climb even higher up into the Michigan Island Light Station for panoramic views of the Apostle Islands.—
Katherine Lawless,
Travel + Leisure,
2 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Adam Sandler, who also starred in and produced the film, is seen first looking shocked at the scene unfolding before him, before laughing along with the rest of the crew.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
People.com,
31 July 2025
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This week, Barkley had a chance to discuss one of his young teammates, Cooper DeJean, who was shocked to crack the NFL's Top 100 list after just one year in the league.—
Justin Grasso,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 July 2025
Adjective
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Now less alarmed and more reflective, Alaina sees the letters as relics of the house's strange past.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 July 2025
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Mahoney, according to court documents, grew alarmed that her fiancé had seemingly disappeared – eventually going to the home and spotting McGeeney's red Ford F-150 pickup truck parked outside the residence.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
25 July 2025
Adjective
-
Overwhelmed and fearful of her future, Milena disappears.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
4 Aug. 2025
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Guerrero kept his concerns about Mejia quiet for a time, fearful he could be fired from his job or even prosecuted.—
Bianca Moreno-Paz,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Terrified.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrified. Accessed 12 Aug. 2025.
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