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
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
Jesus may haunt Wendell, but Wendell terrifies Lee.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 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
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
Jesus may haunt Wendell, but Wendell terrifies Lee.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 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
-
Her hysteria frightens me and demands to be taken care of.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Baker says what frightens her most is whether younger generations will ever be able to step off that wheel — to build generational wealth through homeownership.—
Elizabeth Prann,
The Hill,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
When Nora starts to leave the room, Cantrell scares her, showing that Nora had the cream all over her face.—
Hannah Sacks,
PEOPLE,
3 Feb. 2026
-
The only person on this earth who scares me is God.—
Colin Millar,
New York Times,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
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 11 Feb. 2026.
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