terror

Synonym Chooser

How is the word terror distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of terror are alarm, dread, fear, fright, panic, and trepidation. While all these words mean "painful agitation in the presence or anticipation of danger," terror implies the most extreme degree of fear.

immobilized with terror

When is it sensible to use alarm instead of terror?

The words alarm and terror are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, alarm suggests a sudden and intense awareness of immediate danger.

view the situation with alarm

When might dread be a better fit than terror?

While in some cases nearly identical to terror, dread usually adds the idea of intense reluctance to face or meet a person or situation and suggests aversion as well as anxiety.

faced the meeting with dread

When can fear be used instead of terror?

The words fear and terror can be used in similar contexts, but fear is the most general term and implies anxiety and usually loss of courage.

fear of the unknown

In what contexts can fright take the place of terror?

While the synonyms fright and terror are close in meaning, fright implies the shock of sudden, startling fear.

fright at being awakened suddenly

Where would panic be a reasonable alternative to terror?

The synonyms panic and terror are sometimes interchangeable, but panic implies unreasoning and overmastering fear causing hysterical activity.

the news caused widespread panic

How do trepidation and dread relate to one another, in the sense of terror?

Trepidation adds to dread the implications of timidity, trembling, and hesitation.

raised the subject with trepidation

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of terror So much atrocity, so much terror is unbearable. Zac Ntim, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025 There are many different networks of terror online, all with a constellation of differing ideologies, though many of them overlap. Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2025 The best children’s books mirror the thrill, terror, mischief, and humor of, well, being a kid. Daniel A. Gross, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2025 Scenes of terror and military might flash on the screen throughout the teaser, overlayed with an ominous monologue about the end times. Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for terror
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terror
Noun
  • Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga are returning as paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren who are trying to vanquish a demon from a family’s home.
    Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 3 Sep. 2025
  • The inevitable showdown between the demon, which manifests in various forms during the film, is wild and exhausting, and gives Wilson and Farmiga, as consistent and excellent as always throughout, a powerful performative and emotional last stand.
    Simon Thompson, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • But all friends need to be honest with each other, to tell each other home truths when it’s needed, to confront those awkward moments without fear of the reaction.
    Steve Sedgwick, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Two key points in the case were that board members who personally opposed the books took the action against the input of an advisory committee, and that the board members' action was based on speculative, not actual, fears of disruption.
    Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The harassment soon escalated into a daily campaign of psychological torment that lasted for more than a year.
    EW.com, EW.com, 2 Sep. 2025
  • His icy, anguished eyes—though both are the same color—convey all the torment a misfit on Earth might feel.
    Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 30 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • At the council meeting for the resolution, several migrants and their families spoke in favor of its passage, expressing their anxieties in day-to-day life, according to The Chronicle.
    Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2025
  • The starting point is learning to cultivate present-moment awareness and simply noticing your anxiety.
    Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • As an adult, financial matters, especially, threw him into a panic and eventually sent him to therapy.
    Duaa Eldeib, ProPublica, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Even when things might look bleak, investors with cash on hand can afford to wait it out and not panic.
    Susan Tompor, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The Wax Child is about the dread of living in brutal hierarchies, and the shapes that friendship and protection take to counteract these grim realities.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
  • But on a day when Mizzou amassed 595 total yards, converted 4 of 5 fourth downs and got an excellent effort from first-year starting quarterback Beau Pribula, surrendering possession had to fill Kansas followers with a sense of dread.
    Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 7 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Terror.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terror. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

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