as in frightens
to strike with fear
thunderstorms terrorize our cats, who all scamper downstairs when lightning flashes
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Recent Examples of terrorizes
Daisy hopes that this special moment will redeem the interior’s mistakes — the panty liner, the toilet paper shortage, the delay on the champagne — and Jenna works hard at the sundeck set-up while Mike terrorizes her, cracking unfunny jokes about her decorations and generally being unhelpful.
—
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2026
When a new string of killings terrorizes their community, the three women decide to get to work to catch the culprit.
—Jessica Moore, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
Continue reading … SOPHISTICATED SCHEME — South American theft ring allegedly terrorizes 60+ Texas mansions with signal jammers.
—FOXNews.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Crucially, this practice terrorizes broader society.
—Omid Memarian, The Atlantic, 25 Jan. 2026
As the Grabber terrorizes those on the ice (and tries to choke out Finn), Gwen (in her dream state) dives into the water in search of the missing boys.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Jan. 2026
The culminating episode, as the mob smashes and ransacks a hospital and terrorizes its patients, ultimately reveals a frail elderly man, standing naked and alone in an empty bathtub as the assailants approach.
—John Penner, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
After gun violence terrorizes another American school community, a suspect now in custody – the gunman who opened fire on the campus of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island Saturday killing two students in a classroom and leaving nine others wounded.
—NBC news, 14 Dec. 2025
Anthony Fauci no longer terrorizes a free people – thanks be to God.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 26 Nov. 2025
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2026
When a new string of killings terrorizes their community, the three women decide to get to work to catch the culprit.
—Jessica Moore, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
Continue reading … SOPHISTICATED SCHEME — South American theft ring allegedly terrorizes 60+ Texas mansions with signal jammers.
—FOXNews.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Crucially, this practice terrorizes broader society.
—Omid Memarian, The Atlantic, 25 Jan. 2026
As the Grabber terrorizes those on the ice (and tries to choke out Finn), Gwen (in her dream state) dives into the water in search of the missing boys.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Jan. 2026
The culminating episode, as the mob smashes and ransacks a hospital and terrorizes its patients, ultimately reveals a frail elderly man, standing naked and alone in an empty bathtub as the assailants approach.
—John Penner, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
After gun violence terrorizes another American school community, a suspect now in custody – the gunman who opened fire on the campus of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island Saturday killing two students in a classroom and leaving nine others wounded.
—NBC news, 14 Dec. 2025
Anthony Fauci no longer terrorizes a free people – thanks be to God.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 26 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrorizes
Verb
-
The piercing sunlight frightens her.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Like the 1987 Kurt Vonnegut novel from which the restaurant took its name, Bluebeard encourages guests to drop their guard, surround themselves with other people and try something that frightens them a little.—
USA TODAY NETWORK,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The idea of frightening children into basic courtesy scares Miss Manners.—
Judith Martin,
Sun Sentinel,
30 Mar. 2026
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Geopolitical scares that faded and allowed oil prices to recede.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Frankly, the thought of being beaten by the subscribers terrifies me.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Aubry Bracco is the kind of player who terrifies a certain (male) demographic of Survivor alumni.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
If hypotheticals about what could have been are a good dream for New York Knicks fans, then Mikal Bridges is the alarm clock that startles them awake.—
James L. Edwards III,
New York Times,
2 Mar. 2026
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The project, which Steinberger has rebranded multiple times—evolving from Clawdbot to Moltbot and finally to OpenClaw—largely owing to politics—has expanded at a pace that startles even seasoned AI experts.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Terrorizes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrorizes. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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