as in frightened
filled with fear or dread
the terrorized victims didn't know where to run during the bombing raid
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in scared
to strike with fear
thunderstorms terrorize our cats, who all scamper downstairs when lightning flashes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 terrorized
ABC News, 14 June 2026
When a group went to smoke marijuana in the parking lot of the Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort, two of the people were kidnapped at gunpoint and terrorized with a blowtorch and pliers, a federal complaint said.
—Sofia Saric
june 11, Miami Herald, 11 June 2026
Federal prosecutors say the violent Kiccdoe street gang that terrorized Arlington has effectively been dismantled, with 21 members and associates now convicted and one of its most notorious gunmen sentenced to life in prison.
—Doug Myers, CBS News, 6 June 2026
In the film, actress Midori Francis plays Hana, a medical student who becomes terrorized by a sinister force after partaking in the latest dieting fad — eating human ashes.
—Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 3 June 2026
As the story goes, in the 17th century the dragon nightly terrorized Palma, devouring residents until sword-wielding knight Bartomeu Coch slew it, named it and gifted the dead monster to his fiancée, Na Coca Rossello.
—Norma Meyer, Oc Register, 27 May 2026
The scene recalled the gruesome rampages of the RSF’s forebears, the janjaweed militias who terrorized Sudan’s Darfur region a generation ago.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2026
Jury selection continued Friday in Woodland ahead of Carlos Reales Dominguez’s second murder trial in the deadly Davis knife attacks that left two men dead, a woman grievously wounded and a city terrorized in 2023.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 23 May 2026
That same year, Wait Until Dark scared me to death when bad guys terrorized a blind Audrey Hepburn.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 22 May 2026
Verb
Their support for terrorist proxies has to end, that has terrorized the entire Middle East, from the Houthis to Hezbollah to Hamas, to the militias in Iraq that have killed American soldiers, my friends and colleagues and the veterans for many decades.
—ABC News, 14 June 2026
When a group went to smoke marijuana in the parking lot of the Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort, two of the people were kidnapped at gunpoint and terrorized with a blowtorch and pliers, a federal complaint said.
—Sofia Saric
june 11, Miami Herald, 11 June 2026
Federal prosecutors say the violent Kiccdoe street gang that terrorized Arlington has effectively been dismantled, with 21 members and associates now convicted and one of its most notorious gunmen sentenced to life in prison.
—Doug Myers, CBS News, 6 June 2026
In the film, actress Midori Francis plays Hana, a medical student who becomes terrorized by a sinister force after partaking in the latest dieting fad — eating human ashes.
—Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 3 June 2026
As the story goes, in the 17th century the dragon nightly terrorized Palma, devouring residents until sword-wielding knight Bartomeu Coch slew it, named it and gifted the dead monster to his fiancée, Na Coca Rossello.
—Norma Meyer, Oc Register, 27 May 2026
The scene recalled the gruesome rampages of the RSF’s forebears, the janjaweed militias who terrorized Sudan’s Darfur region a generation ago.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2026
Jury selection continued Friday in Woodland ahead of Carlos Reales Dominguez’s second murder trial in the deadly Davis knife attacks that left two men dead, a woman grievously wounded and a city terrorized in 2023.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 23 May 2026
That same year, Wait Until Dark scared me to death when bad guys terrorized a blind Audrey Hepburn.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 22 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrorized
Adjective
-
Sour coffee with cream and rustling umbrellas and frightened tourists, impervious to death.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Dec. 2025
-
Deborah Gilmour Smyth leads the Backyard cast as Gladys with an incredible, tour de force performance that begins with joy, laughter and vivaciousness and gradually, over the course of two hours, moves toward frightened, childlike and submissive.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
However, the World Cup seems to have scared many of those other events away.—
Dylan Lysen,
Kansas City Star,
8 June 2026
-
The rush of comments and backlash on it really scared the production.—
Mikey O'Connell,
HollywoodReporter,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
Because the road into Hunt was unpassable, the Childresses were forced into a monstrous kind of purgatory among other terrified parents at Ingram Elementary School.—
Karen Valby,
Vanity Fair,
16 June 2026
-
Her 9-year-old daughter was terrified.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
Her voice startled me, both rough and smooth—like a bottle of whiskey set in front of a princess.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
-
Zoo veterinarians and staff will closely monitor the cubs and observe their behaviors like making small climbs, scratching through substrate and calling to one another when startled.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
Most people are afraid of trying to do that.—
Jeanna Bryner,
Scientific American,
16 June 2026
-
There is no reason to be afraid.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
As a horrified Sam inadvertently observes, a creature has been sating itself on his buddy’s brain.—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
31 May 2026
-
As his tricks progressed, the Young Man felt horrified and confused at the same time.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
Adjective
-
Her shocked caregiver stares at her uncomprehendingly.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 June 2026
-
By Friday morning, people visiting the Pacifica Municipal Pier seemed less shocked than ready to mourn.—
Caelyn Pender,
Mercury News,
15 June 2026
Adjective
-
His entry in the race quickly alarmed Republicans.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
15 June 2026
-
And in a market where the prevailing press narrative has grown increasingly alarmed about private credit stress, the firm’s public positioning is notable—and worth scrutinizing.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Terrorized.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrorized. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
