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
Damian Calhoun, Daily News, 10 May 2026
This would have come as news to the Highland Scots who invaded England in 1745 or the Irish Whiteboys who terrorized landlords and tax collectors a few decades later.
—Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
These attacks often provided a larger cultural pretext for the campaigns of extralegal political violence that terrorized Black voters in the South, assassinated political leaders, and marred the integrity of several of the region’s major elections.
—Robert D. Bland, The Conversation, 30 Apr. 2026
Several people are injured after a tornado in Mineral Wells, Texas, flattened a portion of the town Tuesday night, the sixth day of a severe storm outbreak that has terrorized the Midwest and South.
—Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 29 Apr. 2026
The film called it Elias-Clark, the fictional publishing empire where Miranda terrorized assistants and designers with equal conviction.
—Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Apr. 2026
Co-written by its star Jack Holden and Ed Stambollouian, who directs, the play dramatizes the real-life violence of Ken McElroy, a man who terrorized a small town for years in rural Missouri.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 27 Apr. 2026
Admitted Gilgo Beach, New York, serial killer Rex Heuermann confessed to the murders of eight women last week, bringing resolution to a 17-year killing spree that terrorized Long Island.
—ABC News, 16 Apr. 2026
His character is described as a serial killer who terrorized the City years ago.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 8 Apr. 2026
Verb
Nearly 30 minutes later, Dudinha, who had terrorized Angel City throughout the night, sent in a cross from the left flank that Van Zanten was able to get to, ahead of Angel City defender Evelyn Shores, knocking it past goalkeeper Angelina Anderson.
—Damian Calhoun, Daily News, 10 May 2026
This would have come as news to the Highland Scots who invaded England in 1745 or the Irish Whiteboys who terrorized landlords and tax collectors a few decades later.
—Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
These attacks often provided a larger cultural pretext for the campaigns of extralegal political violence that terrorized Black voters in the South, assassinated political leaders, and marred the integrity of several of the region’s major elections.
—Robert D. Bland, The Conversation, 30 Apr. 2026
Several people are injured after a tornado in Mineral Wells, Texas, flattened a portion of the town Tuesday night, the sixth day of a severe storm outbreak that has terrorized the Midwest and South.
—Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 29 Apr. 2026
The film called it Elias-Clark, the fictional publishing empire where Miranda terrorized assistants and designers with equal conviction.
—Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Apr. 2026
Co-written by its star Jack Holden and Ed Stambollouian, who directs, the play dramatizes the real-life violence of Ken McElroy, a man who terrorized a small town for years in rural Missouri.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 27 Apr. 2026
Admitted Gilgo Beach, New York, serial killer Rex Heuermann confessed to the murders of eight women last week, bringing resolution to a 17-year killing spree that terrorized Long Island.
—ABC News, 16 Apr. 2026
His character is described as a serial killer who terrorized the City years ago.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 8 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrorized
Adjective
-
The woman who found Nado said the feline appeared frightened but was in overall good health, according to the news outlet.—
Gina Kalsi,
PEOPLE,
8 May 2026
-
Those children hadn’t seemed frightened to me, not visibly anyway.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
After the goring, the animal retreated back into the reserve when scared off by other patrol members.—
Ryan Brennan
April 27,
Miami Herald,
27 Apr. 2026
-
After the goring, the rhino retreated back into the reserve when other patrol members scared it off.—
Ryan Brennan
April 27,
Kansas City Star,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The key cabin crew are flight attendants Penny (Lucy Barrett) and Zoe (Na Shi), both of whom demonstrate bravery, to different ends, and show caring attention to the terrified children.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Though Ridley Scott works in a drastically different tone than the one John Carpenter brought to Dark Star, the two films share screenwriter Dan O’Bannon’s darkly comedic view of a future that has reduced humans to alternately bored and terrified cogs in larger machines.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Victor turned to her, startled.—
‘Pemi Aguda,
Literary Hub,
6 May 2026
-
The gunfire startled sleeping guests at the Citizen Hotel, which included a wedding party and fans of the rapper Tyler the Creator, who performed at a concert hours earlier.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Umpires, afraid of being overturned, or at least, more aware of the new zone and its limitations, have been calling fewer strikes.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Almost half are personally afraid of losing their job to AI, ranking it among the most acute individual stressors measured in the survey.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Let’s not confuse slightly horrified admiration for Irina’s determination with admiration for her as a person.—
Sophie Brookover,
Vulture,
24 Apr. 2026
-
As the scene was projected onto a screen, Jude seemed slightly horrified to see himself in front of the camera rather than behind it.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The pair shared a sweet slideshow on Instagram in December 2023 that showed Wilson getting down on one knee in front of a Christmas tree to ask a shocked van der Pol to marry him.—
Brendan Le,
PEOPLE,
28 Apr. 2026
-
His death has left many shocked and outraged.—
Naveen Dhaliwal,
CBS News,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Erin McClymont’s laboratory has six kitchen freezers, each alarmed.—
Hannah Richter,
Scientific American,
7 May 2026
-
Artificial intelligence, far-right ideologies, voracious capitalism — all of it makes Martel alarmed, seeing it as pushing us collectively to the brink of collapse.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Terrorized.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrorized. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
