as in scaring
to strike with fear
thunderstorms terrorize our cats, who all scamper downstairs when lightning flashes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 terrorizing
No more funding for terrorizing our communities.
—
Philip Elliott, Time, 14 Jan. 2026
Russia has massively intensified its campaign of aerial attacks against Ukrainian cities in 2025, regularly terrorizing civilian populations with large-scale drone and missile assaults.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 12 Jan. 2026
People are fed up with this administration terrorizing our streets, somehow in the name of public safety.
—Kayla Moeller, CBS News, 11 Jan. 2026
Miller spends a significant amount of time getting to know the local people and towns, but every discovery leads only to more pain; more disappearances, more tragic unsolved crimes, and more horrifyingly abusive characters terrorizing whole communities into silence.
—Rebecca Hannigan, PEOPLE, 10 Jan. 2026
Nothing but rude, inconsiderate people terrorizing animals, babies and people with PTSD.
—Ticked Off, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Jan. 2026
The administration refers to him and his regime as an illegitimate narco-state terrorizing American communities.
—Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2025
Meanwhile, Will and his friends are trying to overcome Pennywise the clown, who is terrorizing their minds and feeding on the fear of everyone around them.
—Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 16 Dec. 2025
He was accused of terrorizing the staffer he was involved with during an incident after he was fired.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 15 Dec. 2025
Philip Elliott, Time, 14 Jan. 2026
Russia has massively intensified its campaign of aerial attacks against Ukrainian cities in 2025, regularly terrorizing civilian populations with large-scale drone and missile assaults.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 12 Jan. 2026
People are fed up with this administration terrorizing our streets, somehow in the name of public safety.
—Kayla Moeller, CBS News, 11 Jan. 2026
Miller spends a significant amount of time getting to know the local people and towns, but every discovery leads only to more pain; more disappearances, more tragic unsolved crimes, and more horrifyingly abusive characters terrorizing whole communities into silence.
—Rebecca Hannigan, PEOPLE, 10 Jan. 2026
Nothing but rude, inconsiderate people terrorizing animals, babies and people with PTSD.
—Ticked Off, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Jan. 2026
The administration refers to him and his regime as an illegitimate narco-state terrorizing American communities.
—Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2025
Meanwhile, Will and his friends are trying to overcome Pennywise the clown, who is terrorizing their minds and feeding on the fear of everyone around them.
—Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 16 Dec. 2025
He was accused of terrorizing the staffer he was involved with during an incident after he was fired.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 15 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrorizing
Verb
-
After scaring off the animal, one of the hikers, a physician, attempted to revive Kovatch, but did not find a pulse.—
Outside,
Outside,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Talk openly about world events—without scaring them Even young children absorb bits of information about conflict, violence, and disaster—whether through classmates, TV in a waiting room, or overheard adult conversations.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Parents,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
But monks there complained that the slain king was walking around at night, frightening them with strange sounds.—
Rivka Galchen,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Kids will love sending this Dilophosaurus sauntering across the floor, frightening everything and everyone in his path.—
Pamela Brill,
Parents,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
That’s terrifying on a whole different level.—
Will Harris,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Jan. 2026
-
At another level, there does seem to be something absurd and even terrifying about the idea that someone who is not elected can become the leader of a country and then will be recognized as the leader of that country and receive the immunities afforded to heads of state.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
3 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Terrorizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrorizing. Accessed 21 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
