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
Frankly, the thought of being beaten by the subscribers terrifies me.
—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
13 Mar. 2026
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
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
13 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrifies
Verb
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What frightens scientists more than the sheer numbers are that the cuts are arbitrary and manifestly pernicious.
-
But the future Hall of Famer is coming off ACL surgery, might lack mobility, and has a receiving corps that frightens nobody.
Verb
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Any loud sound just scares her terribly.
-
Look directly at the thing that scares you.
Verb
-
Missile warning startles Dubai Earlier on Friday, a missile warning in the United Arab Emirates caused by a technical glitch underscored the ongoing tensions in the region, following the attack on the cargo vessel and Israeli strikes in Lebanon over the past few days.
-
The combination of flashing light and movement startles them.
Cite this Entry
“Terrifies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrifies. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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