terrify
verb
ter·ri·fy
ˈter-ə-ˌfī 
ˈte-rə-
terrified; terrifying
1
a
: to drive or impel by menacing : scare
b
: deter, intimidate
2
: to fill with terror
Synonyms
Examples of terrify in a Sentence
The thought of dying alone terrifies her.
the prospect of speaking in front of a huge crowd of people absolutely terrifies me
Recent Examples on the Web
The Colombian star’s comedic chops are quick and so natural that turning her into Griselda Blanco — the cocaine madrina of Miami who terrified anyone in her path — seemed an impossible task.
—
Yolanda MacHado, EW.com, 10 June 2024
The result is immersive and often terrifying, each moment serving as a reminder of the chaos and horror of combat and of the individual human lives so easily lost when casualties get reduced to mere numbers.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 26 May 2024
The woman was terrified of having to look at or touch her boyfriend’s feet, causing physical symptoms—sweating, trembling hands, heart palpitations, ringing in her ears—followed by ruminating thoughts and a deep sense of shame.
—Angela Haupt, TIME, 22 May 2024
But sometimes marketers weren’t successful in striking a balance between sensationalizing their products and terrifying their audience.
—Thomas Bishop, Baltimore Sun, 13 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for terrify 
Yolanda MacHado, EW.com, 10 June 2024
The result is immersive and often terrifying, each moment serving as a reminder of the chaos and horror of combat and of the individual human lives so easily lost when casualties get reduced to mere numbers.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 26 May 2024
The woman was terrified of having to look at or touch her boyfriend’s feet, causing physical symptoms—sweating, trembling hands, heart palpitations, ringing in her ears—followed by ruminating thoughts and a deep sense of shame.
—Angela Haupt, TIME, 22 May 2024
But sometimes marketers weren’t successful in striking a balance between sensationalizing their products and terrifying their audience.
—Thomas Bishop, Baltimore Sun, 13 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for terrify
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'terrify.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Terrify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/terrify. Accessed 17 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
terrify
verb
ter·ri·fy
ˈter-ə-ˌfī
terrified; terrifying
: to fill with terror
terrifyingly
adverb
-ˌfī-iŋ-lē
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