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
Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 22 Sep. 2025
What makes this one so special is the way the film transforms this giant boat — a modern marvel of engineering — into a terrifying, deadly obstacle course.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
For the rest of the country, local governments would be better off slashing the personal income tax rates that are terrifying voters into fleeing for red state residences.
—Tiana Lowe Doescher, The Washington Examiner, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for terrifying
Adjective
Viola Swamp, one of literature’s most terrifying substitute teachers, is gearing up to make her cinematic debut.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 22 Sep. 2025
What makes this one so special is the way the film transforms this giant boat — a modern marvel of engineering — into a terrifying, deadly obstacle course.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
Verb
The tonal whiplash you experience at that point, the sense that Barbarian can be genuinely terrifying one moment and weirdly funny the next, is what transformed the film into a cult hit.
—Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
For the rest of the country, local governments would be better off slashing the personal income tax rates that are terrifying voters into fleeing for red state residences.
—Tiana Lowe Doescher, The Washington Examiner, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for terrifying
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrifying
Adjective
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The sixth inning also featured a frightening moment when Cleveland’s David Fry, squaring around to bunt, took a 99 mph fastball from Skubal off his face, crumpling to the dirt as Skubal reacted with distress.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
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Visitors enter a space of torture featuring frightening medical tests and experiments.—
Jim Riccioli,
jsonline.com,
21 Sep. 2025
Verb
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During today’s announcement, Kennedy at least acknowledged the trade-offs inherent in scaring pregnant Americans off Tylenol, and allowed that, sometimes, using it is unavoidable.—
Tom Bartlett,
The Atlantic,
23 Sep. 2025
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Luzzatto said the relative shortness of that term is scaring away capital.—
Matthew Geiger,
Denver Post,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Kimmel, who has spent most of his late-night career as a flippant but not particularly scandalous figure, acknowledged just how scary things had become that the White House might take aim at him.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
24 Sep. 2025
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Halloween, naturally scary, but also naturally really weird.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Technological challenges also proved formidable, as ambitious projects like Sealab failed.—
Danny Robb,
JSTOR Daily,
26 Sep. 2025
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Ong will discuss the strategies and creative principles behind the media giant’s approach to leveraging its formidable library of IP in the gaming world.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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That sounds absolutely horrible.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Sep. 2025
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Their ratings are also horrible.—
William Earl,
Variety,
22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Our prayers are with the victims and their families during this terrible tragedy.—
Hollie Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Sep. 2025
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Rather, the wretched truth is a reminder that history’s wins are often, if not always, accompanied by terrible loss — that, sometimes, what was cast as victory may have actually been defeat.—
Andrea Williams,
Nashville Tennessean,
27 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Being less direct and formal can help prevent your kid putting a wall up — as can chatting during car rides since not being face-to-face can feel less intimidating for them.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
26 Sep. 2025
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The San Francisco 49ers began the year with one of the more intimidating defensive fronts in the NFL.—
Michael Gallagher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Terrifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrifying. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
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