as in frightens
to strike with fear
the prospect of speaking in front of a huge crowd of people absolutely terrifies me
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Recent Examples of terrifies
Aubry Bracco is the kind of player who terrifies a certain (male) demographic of Survivor alumni.
—
Joe Reid, Vulture, 25 Feb. 2026
What terrifies Iran’s theocrats the most, the fear that eclipses all their fears, is the ability of the people at large to clearly see the essential realities of the present regime.
—Azadeh Moaveni, Time, 3 Feb. 2026
And this absolutely terrifies me.
—Inga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026
Rows sit silent at Karmel Mall as the immigration crackdown terrifies customers and workers, paralyzing the economic hub for Minneapolis’s largest Somali population.
—Sarah Raza, Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2026
That terrifies me to try to adapt something.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 17 Nov. 2025
When scientists are asked which potential climate impact terrifies them most, the collapse of the AMOC is often top of the list.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 15 Nov. 2025
While early allergen introduction is not without complexities, the measurable reduction in peanut allergies—once the most common pediatric food allergy and one that terrifies allergy parents—signals a milestone in preventive care.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
Even those who like parts of his agenda have been stumped about how to talk him out of the stuff that terrifies them — whiplash tariffs and a labor-depleting immigration crackdown.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2025
Joe Reid, Vulture, 25 Feb. 2026
What terrifies Iran’s theocrats the most, the fear that eclipses all their fears, is the ability of the people at large to clearly see the essential realities of the present regime.
—Azadeh Moaveni, Time, 3 Feb. 2026
And this absolutely terrifies me.
—Inga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026
Rows sit silent at Karmel Mall as the immigration crackdown terrifies customers and workers, paralyzing the economic hub for Minneapolis’s largest Somali population.
—Sarah Raza, Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2026
That terrifies me to try to adapt something.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 17 Nov. 2025
When scientists are asked which potential climate impact terrifies them most, the collapse of the AMOC is often top of the list.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 15 Nov. 2025
While early allergen introduction is not without complexities, the measurable reduction in peanut allergies—once the most common pediatric food allergy and one that terrifies allergy parents—signals a milestone in preventive care.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
Even those who like parts of his agenda have been stumped about how to talk him out of the stuff that terrifies them — whiplash tariffs and a labor-depleting immigration crackdown.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrifies
Verb
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The piercing sunlight frightens her.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Feb. 2026
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Like the 1987 Kurt Vonnegut novel from which the restaurant took its name, Bluebeard encourages guests to drop their guard, surround themselves with other people and try something that frightens them a little.—
USA TODAY NETWORK,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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At its core, this is a story about belonging and growing up — no matter your age — filled with adventure, wonder, comedy, scares, and tears.—
K.J. Yossman,
Variety,
25 Feb. 2026
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The boiling bin freezing especially scares me.—
Emily Elias,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The project, which Steinberger has rebranded multiple times—evolving from Clawdbot to Moltbot and finally to OpenClaw—largely owing to politics—has expanded at a pace that startles even seasoned AI experts.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
19 Feb. 2026
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As the dolphin gets closer to the glass, the Chihuahua lets out a bark that startles the dolphin, who then starts mimicking the dog's mouth movements in a sort of chasing game across species.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Terrifies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrifies. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
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