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
In war, the V-2 terrorized Britain and its allies.
—
Michael Carrafiello, The Conversation, 16 Mar. 2026
Violence and intimidation have been used to terrorize Asian communities and to achieve political objectives.
—Literary Hub, 16 Mar. 2026
Zuby Ejiofor, a unanimous Big East first-team selection, has used his 6-foot-9 frame to terrorize teams on both sides of the floor, all while setting his teammates up for opportunities to score.
—Takashi Williams, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
Released 18 years after 28 Weeks Later (2007), the third installment in the postapocalyptic horror series is set on one of the British Isles, where a community has flourished, isolated from the more evolved versions of the infected that still terrorize the region.
—Ilana Gordon, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for terrorize
Michael Carrafiello, The Conversation, 16 Mar. 2026
Violence and intimidation have been used to terrorize Asian communities and to achieve political objectives.
—Literary Hub, 16 Mar. 2026
Zuby Ejiofor, a unanimous Big East first-team selection, has used his 6-foot-9 frame to terrorize teams on both sides of the floor, all while setting his teammates up for opportunities to score.
—Takashi Williams, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
Released 18 years after 28 Weeks Later (2007), the third installment in the postapocalyptic horror series is set on one of the British Isles, where a community has flourished, isolated from the more evolved versions of the infected that still terrorize the region.
—Ilana Gordon, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for terrorize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrorize
Verb
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Grete is frightened of her brother, of course.—
Christine Smallwood,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
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Israel knows women and babies were tortured, burned and posed in inhuman ways for one reason — to frighten.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
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During the first phase, last spring, before DHS got the infusion of new money, Noem led a shock-and-awe campaign aimed mostly at scaring people into leaving.—
Nick Miroff,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
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At the time, local hunters blamed the Ping for scaring away game.—
Andrew Coletti,
Popular Science,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Since his detainment, Maria said that she's been terrified of leaving the home.—
Conor Wight,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
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He was terrified after hearing stories about people dying in the Oklahoma County jail, which was by then recognized as one of the deadliest in the nation.—
Brianna Bailey,
The Frontier,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Some cyclists sped by pretty quickly, startling us and our dog.—
Maura Fox,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
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This is a novel about Jewish bodies and how people respond to them, the toll of obsession, and the conflicting currents of desire and unease that shake and startle a deep romantic fixation.—
Daniel Felsenthal,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Terrorize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrorize. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
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