as in to frighten
to strike with fear
thunderstorms terrorize our cats, who all scamper downstairs when lightning flashes
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Recent Examples of terrorize
Ritter plays Claire, a struggling single mother battling addiction, as a malevolent creature that feeds on despair begins to terrorize her and her two sons.
—
Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 3 Nov. 2025
Adams described the attack as deliberate and that Koehler intended to terrorize the victim.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2025
Security analyst Nnamdi Obasi, a senior adviser at the International Crisis Group think tank, explained that while extremist groups have wreaked havoc against both Christians and Muslims in the northeast of Nigeria, bandit groups have terrorized predominantly Muslim communities in the northwest.
—Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025
But the idea of Maduro as the head of a criminal enterprise terrorizing the United States has allowed Rubio to repackage military action against Venezuela as an anti-narcotics campaign.
—David Smilde, Time, 3 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for terrorize
Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 3 Nov. 2025
Adams described the attack as deliberate and that Koehler intended to terrorize the victim.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2025
Security analyst Nnamdi Obasi, a senior adviser at the International Crisis Group think tank, explained that while extremist groups have wreaked havoc against both Christians and Muslims in the northeast of Nigeria, bandit groups have terrorized predominantly Muslim communities in the northwest.
—Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025
But the idea of Maduro as the head of a criminal enterprise terrorizing the United States has allowed Rubio to repackage military action against Venezuela as an anti-narcotics campaign.
—David Smilde, Time, 3 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for terrorize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrorize
Verb
-
These political executions are a callous attempt by the authorities to frighten and silence an increasingly restive population no longer willing to accept their corrupt and oppressive rule.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Tens of millions of dollars have been spent to redefine reality and to convince our neighbors that this new age is something that should frighten them.—
TIME Video,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
After scaring off the animal, one of the hikers, a physician, attempted to revive Kovatch, but did not find a pulse.—
Outside,
Outside,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Don’t let the tackiness of this primer scare you.—
Michelle Baricevic,
InStyle,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Hodges managed to hang on to his baton but then found himself on all fours, surrounded by the mob, terrified that he would soon be torn apart.—
Jamie Thompson,
The Atlantic,
6 Jan. 2026
-
At another level, there does seem to be something absurd and even terrifying about the idea that someone who is not elected can become the leader of a country and then will be recognized as the leader of that country and receive the immunities afforded to heads of state.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
3 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Jamie, the dog-sitter, is startled that Pam is back so soon.—
Allegra Goodman,
New Yorker,
4 Jan. 2026
-
Hauge called that startling, given that court filing fees alone cost just as much.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
4 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Terrorize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrorize. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
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