as in to frighten
to strike with fear
thunderstorms terrorize our cats, who all scamper downstairs when lightning flashes
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Recent Examples of terrorize
The case goes back to 2022 when the BBC first reported on how the man known as Agent X was terrorizing his partner and how the BBC believed that his identity should be revealed in order to protect his partner and others.
—
Max Goldbart, Deadline, 12 Feb. 2025
Listen to this article Members of a violent gang that terrorized several Brooklyn neighborhoods for years were arrested and charged in connection with a slew of shootings, including one that killed a rival gang member and others that wounded innocent bystanders, authorities said.
—Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 5 Feb. 2025
Notorious madman Charles Manson, who died in prison in 2017 at age 83, and a group of his followers terrorized the Los Angeles area in 1969 by committing at least seven gruesome murders, including actress Sharon Tate.
—William Earl, Variety, 30 Jan. 2025
Garrett and Carter on the same line would terrorize the NFL starting with the NFC East.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 11 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for terrorize
Max Goldbart, Deadline, 12 Feb. 2025
Listen to this article Members of a violent gang that terrorized several Brooklyn neighborhoods for years were arrested and charged in connection with a slew of shootings, including one that killed a rival gang member and others that wounded innocent bystanders, authorities said.
—Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 5 Feb. 2025
Notorious madman Charles Manson, who died in prison in 2017 at age 83, and a group of his followers terrorized the Los Angeles area in 1969 by committing at least seven gruesome murders, including actress Sharon Tate.
—William Earl, Variety, 30 Jan. 2025
Garrett and Carter on the same line would terrorize the NFL starting with the NFC East.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 11 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for terrorize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrorize
Verb
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On the streets, conservative protesters, frightened that the left could win the next election, have rallied to Yoon.—
ROBERT E. KELLY,
Foreign Affairs,
12 Feb. 2025
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That frightened stray kitten forgot her fears and moved up on that ball of paper and batted it across the floor and then batted it again.—
Carole Wendt,
Twin Cities,
7 Feb. 2025
Verb
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In 2023, a bear barged into a bakery in Avon, scared employees and helped itself to 60 cupcakes before ambling away.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
1 Mar. 2025
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Wise infuses a nurturing maturity and vulnerability in Nicole that scares Roger, and challenges him to confront his unhealthy relationship habits and general indecisiveness.—
Morgan A. Grain,
Essence,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
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They are devastated by what has happened, and terrified of what could happen if the current ceasefire collapses and the war and bombing resumes.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
3 Mar. 2025
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The very idea of going to the Oscars on acid sounds terrifying AF, but so does coming off acid in the middle of the Oscars, which also happened to Parker and Stone.—
Lester Fabian Brathwaite,
EW.com,
2 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Though friendly toward her until that moment, Tembo was startled by the noise.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes,
19 Feb. 2025
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But when Freed walked away, the elk got startled and ran into a gully full of snow.—
The Steamboat Pilot,
The Denver Post,
4 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Terrorize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrorize. Accessed 7 Mar. 2025.
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