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
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
On the military plane ride from California to Panama, Mona, a 32-year-old Iranian Christian convert, said her 8-year-old son cried, terrified to see his parents shackled.
—
Julie Turkewitz, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2025
Some of those billionaires behind Kamala are terrified of that outcome.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025
However, the exhibit’s approach is just the opposite of Jackson’s — not to terrify moviegoers, but rather to demystify the eight-legged animals by fostering curiosity and empathy.
—Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2025
Threats of school violence are terrifying for communities.
—Aiden Lesley, Sun Sentinel, 9 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for terrify
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.
Julie Turkewitz, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2025
Some of those billionaires behind Kamala are terrified of that outcome.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025
However, the exhibit’s approach is just the opposite of Jackson’s — not to terrify moviegoers, but rather to demystify the eight-legged animals by fostering curiosity and empathy.
—Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2025
Threats of school violence are terrifying for communities.
—Aiden Lesley, Sun Sentinel, 9 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for terrify
Cite this Entry
“Terrify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/terrify. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
terrify
verb
ter·ri·fy
ˈter-ə-ˌfī
terrified; terrifying
: to fill with terror
terrifyingly
adverb
-ˌfī-iŋ-lē
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share