as in frightening
causing fear
heard a terrifying noise coming from the next room
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in scaring
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 terrifying
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
18 June 2026
What’s more terrifying, Hull added, is not having that option.
—
Dana Feldman,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
Anthony D'alessandro,
Deadline,
10 Mar. 2026
But across the political divide, the bombings are terrifying for many Iranians, with civilian casualities on the rise.
—
Kara Fox,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for terrifying
Adjective
The instructional video Dale discovers is also terrifying.
—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
18 June 2026
What’s more terrifying, Hull added, is not having that option.
—
Dana Feldman,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
Verb
Pic was written and directed by horror filmmaker Ian Tuason, and follows the host (Nina Kiri) of a popular paranormal podcast who becomes haunted by terrifying recordings mysteriously sent her way.
—
Anthony D'alessandro,
Deadline,
10 Mar. 2026
But across the political divide, the bombings are terrifying for many Iranians, with civilian casualities on the rise.
—
Kara Fox,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for terrifying
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrifying
Adjective
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Earlier movie versions have managed the story’s most frightening moments with the limited technology available at the time—much plastic and spongy stuff; monsters in process shots looming over little men; papier-mâché boulders flung from hilltops.
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Even more frightening, the percentage exceeded 50% in many groups, including insects, terrestrial vertebrates, and marine species.
Verb
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Episodes find the gang scaring people for class assignments while carefully keeping the monster world under wraps.
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But she was saved by three bystanders who yelled out, scaring him off and chasing him through the park, sources said.
Adjective
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There were some scary moments at the nest earlier in the spring when viewers watched one of the eaglets, then just named USS 11, swallow a fishhook.
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Exciting but scary findings During another of the key microplastics studies published so far, researchers at the University of Rhode Island tested mice that had been modified to include a gene, APOE4, linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
Verb
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Some cyclists sped by pretty quickly, startling us and our dog.
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Hauge called that startling, given that court filing fees alone cost just as much.
Adjective
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The Scottish lawyer was one of the smartest, most formidable specialists in the luxury business, with a reputation that carried internationally and a vast roll call of clients.
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With five volumes of his Noise Kandy series, to solo and collaborative albums (KISS THE RING, Kontraband, Trainspotting), the Griselda affiliate has cemented his status as one of today’s most formidable spitters.
Adjective
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Iran’s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad World Cup got a lot better Sunday.
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What started as a horrible mistake ended up bringing the community together.
Adjective
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The production quality was terrible.
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But in May of 1943, a terrible fire burned his studio to the ground.
Adjective
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The caps, made from real bear skin, are a distinctive part of the military uniform, designed to make troops appear taller and more intimidating.
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The one witness everyone in the courtroom remembers was Watkins, an intimidating presence with the build of an NFL defensive tackle.
Cite this Entry
“Terrifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrifying. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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