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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of terrified
Geoff Brumfiel, NPR, 7 Sep. 2025
Ed and Lorraine are the beautiful, tragic saviors of a terrified family confronted with a deep evil, strengthened by the power of their love for each other.
—Emily Palmer Heller, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
Parents are terrified, doctors are overwhelmed, and public confidence in our nation’s health leadership has collapsed.
—CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025
Within the film’s compact running time, writer-director Ben Hania traces the fraught and torturous hours of January 29, 2024, when Palestine Red Crescent volunteers in the West Bank tried to calm a terrified 6-year-old girl and get an ambulance to her in Gaza.
—Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2025
The people who found the postcards were so terrified that almost all the cards were turned over to the gestapo.
—Rabih Alameddine
september 2, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2025
Lucy felt terrified to vocalize her struggle, because there was no one there to push her forward.
—Janya Dieringer, Twin Cities, 30 Aug. 2025
Of nearly 500 shots fired, about 200 struck six CDC buildings as terrified staff dove for safety.
—Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2025
Two documentaries paint a brutal reality of Vladimir Putin’s regime with the Russian press under siege in My Undesirable Friends, and of hundreds of terrified animals at risk in Checkpoint Zoo, an unusual Ukraine rescue story with Leonardo DiCaprio as EP.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 15 Aug. 2025
Kristi Dosh, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Murillo recalled a Cuban grandmother whose grandchildren were terrified to go to school after their father was detained in front of them at their own home by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
—Miami Herald, 13 Sep. 2025
There are children that are terrified of their lives being destroyed in a moment.
—EW.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Undocumented workers are terrified right now.
—Jenn Tardy, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
So naturally, Oliver, who is already terrified of the mob, panics and brings the body upstairs with him in a laundry cart, which is never ideal.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2025
All of this terrified his father, Charlie, a former cop who had a premonition that something would go wrong.
—Seth Wickersham, The Atlantic, 8 Sep. 2025
Lewis, the five-star recruit and the people’s choice, looked good handing off and terrified on obvious passing downs.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 7 Sep. 2025
We might be terrified of it and not want to recognize our own mortality.
—Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
In a recent video posted to the AI Bible's Youtube channel, buildings crumble and terrified-looking people claw their way through the rubble.
—Geoff Brumfiel, NPR, 7 Sep. 2025
Ed and Lorraine are the beautiful, tragic saviors of a terrified family confronted with a deep evil, strengthened by the power of their love for each other.
—Emily Palmer Heller, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
Parents are terrified, doctors are overwhelmed, and public confidence in our nation’s health leadership has collapsed.
—CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025
Within the film’s compact running time, writer-director Ben Hania traces the fraught and torturous hours of January 29, 2024, when Palestine Red Crescent volunteers in the West Bank tried to calm a terrified 6-year-old girl and get an ambulance to her in Gaza.
—Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2025
The people who found the postcards were so terrified that almost all the cards were turned over to the gestapo.
—Rabih Alameddine
september 2, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2025
Lucy felt terrified to vocalize her struggle, because there was no one there to push her forward.
—Janya Dieringer, Twin Cities, 30 Aug. 2025
Of nearly 500 shots fired, about 200 struck six CDC buildings as terrified staff dove for safety.
—Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2025
Two documentaries paint a brutal reality of Vladimir Putin’s regime with the Russian press under siege in My Undesirable Friends, and of hundreds of terrified animals at risk in Checkpoint Zoo, an unusual Ukraine rescue story with Leonardo DiCaprio as EP.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
In that episode, the college football fans are terrified to find themselves in Pro Town, a place where people go to yoga on Saturdays.
—Kristi Dosh, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Murillo recalled a Cuban grandmother whose grandchildren were terrified to go to school after their father was detained in front of them at their own home by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
—Miami Herald, 13 Sep. 2025
There are children that are terrified of their lives being destroyed in a moment.
—EW.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Undocumented workers are terrified right now.
—Jenn Tardy, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
So naturally, Oliver, who is already terrified of the mob, panics and brings the body upstairs with him in a laundry cart, which is never ideal.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2025
All of this terrified his father, Charlie, a former cop who had a premonition that something would go wrong.
—Seth Wickersham, The Atlantic, 8 Sep. 2025
Lewis, the five-star recruit and the people’s choice, looked good handing off and terrified on obvious passing downs.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 7 Sep. 2025
We might be terrified of it and not want to recognize our own mortality.
—Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrified
Adjective
-
Republicans are frightened, too.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Farima was withdrawn and frightened.—
Sarah Ferguson,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Parents, scared by the specter of brain damage, are reluctant to let their kids play tackle football.—
Seth Wickersham,
The Atlantic,
8 Sep. 2025
-
His home’s security system was triggered and reportedly scared off the burglar, and nothing was stolen from the property.—
Christina Dugan Ramirez,
FOXNews.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Beck has a fluid, quick throwing motion and isn’t afraid to fit the ball into tight windows.—
Dane Brugler,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Luckily, the 2025 Emmys shows us that, now more than ever, men aren’t afraid to show a little personality in their red carpet looks.—
Brett F. Braley-Palko,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Seagulls lift off the beach, startled by the sudden salty cacophony.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
While some dogs are more confident, others may become easily startled by noises, objects, or movements that appear harmless to humans.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The Prime Video series ends with a horrified Daniel looking at Cherry, who's shown smiling at him with her hands calmly resting on very pregnant belly.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Hoffman can’t help but cut me off in horrified pity.—
J. Kim Murphy,
Variety,
27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Inside the West Wing, staff sat in shocked silence, scrolling to see the latest updates of news on their phones and messages on their computer screens.—
Eric Cortellessa,
Time,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Lauryn was seen crying and seemingly shocked.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Parents will be especially alarmed and this will place terrible burdens on pediatricians who will need to assuage their worries in order to provide important protections against serious and sometimes fatal diseases.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
-
That move alarmed Israeli officials who question the motives of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda commander.—
Gram Slattery,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
And yet, from the beginning, the only people more fearful than Putin of American intervention were Americans.—
Robert Kagan,
The Atlantic,
10 Sep. 2025
-
According to one survey, about half of those age 61 and older are fearful of what changes in tariffs will do to their retirement savings or retirement income.—
Susan Tompor,
USA Today,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Terrified.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrified. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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