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
Prosecutors allege Aaron Saucedo was the 'Maryvale Shooter' About 10 years after Goudeau’s murders, residents in the Maryvale area of west Phoenix were being terrorized by a gunman driving through their neighborhoods and shooting people just outside their homes.
—
Miguel Torres, AZCentral.com, 25 Sep. 2025
Each one of those alerts puts millions of lives on hold – part of Russia’s strategy of terrorizing and exhausting Ukraine’s civilian population.
—Daria Tarasova-Markina, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025
As night falls, three masked strangers terrorize them until dawn.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 24 Sep. 2025
Welcome to Derry, exploring the origins of Pennywise the Clown (Bill Skarsgård), the ancient evil that terrorized the fictional town every 27 years.
—Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for terrorize
Miguel Torres, AZCentral.com, 25 Sep. 2025
Each one of those alerts puts millions of lives on hold – part of Russia’s strategy of terrorizing and exhausting Ukraine’s civilian population.
—Daria Tarasova-Markina, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025
As night falls, three masked strangers terrorize them until dawn.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 24 Sep. 2025
Welcome to Derry, exploring the origins of Pennywise the Clown (Bill Skarsgård), the ancient evil that terrorized the fictional town every 27 years.
—Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for terrorize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrorize
Verb
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There are liberals in media, but the corporations are now either controlled by the right wing or frightened of it.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
20 Sep. 2025
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Notwithstanding the endless parade of ghosts, demons, serial killers and at least one Mothman, Haunted Hotel is mostly not trying to frighten you.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The modus operandi generally involved either scaring a convenience store owner and fleeing with thousands of dollars worth of cigarettes, like one such incident at a 7-Eleven in Walnut Creek where masked men stole $8,000 in tobacco products, authorities said.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
26 Sep. 2025
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If someone unexpectedly opens the door to enter the room, a harsh alarm will sound to scare off the intruder—adding an extra layer beyond the hotel’s typical locks.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Aldo had spent his time in the States terrified that he would be deported back to Cuba and jailed.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
New Yorker,
29 Sep. 2025
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The Civil War unfolded in battlefields, but also wrought the Draft Riots in New York City, during which dozens of Black residents were murdered, property was destroyed, and the city terrified.—
Annie Polland,
Time,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Sleep may be disturbed by a pet's movements, and dogs may bite if startled.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Sep. 2025
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The record-scratch startle that jump-starts the dramatic arc occurs when Eleanor (Squibb) is trying to figure out what to do with herself at a Manhattan Jewish community center after recently relocating from Florida.—
Katie Walsh,
Twin Cities,
25 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Terrorize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrorize. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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