as in to frighten
to strike with fear
the prospect of speaking in front of a huge crowd of people absolutely terrifies me
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of terrify
And be terrified of squandering it and hurting themselves much more than limiting player salaries would help them.
—
Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2026
Starring Kim Hye-yoon and Lee Jong-won, the film follows a road-view camera crew that encounters terrifying supernatural events at a remote reservoir.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 27 Apr. 2026
No matter who was in charge, the Miami Dolphins franchise have been terrified of quarterback competition for nearly two decades, and that might explain why South Florida’s NFL franchise hasn’t won a playoff game in 25 years.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2026
Outcome focuses on a Hollywood star terrified of being canceled.
—Josh Spiegel, HollywoodReporter, 11 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for terrify
Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2026
Starring Kim Hye-yoon and Lee Jong-won, the film follows a road-view camera crew that encounters terrifying supernatural events at a remote reservoir.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 27 Apr. 2026
No matter who was in charge, the Miami Dolphins franchise have been terrified of quarterback competition for nearly two decades, and that might explain why South Florida’s NFL franchise hasn’t won a playoff game in 25 years.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2026
Outcome focuses on a Hollywood star terrified of being canceled.
—Josh Spiegel, HollywoodReporter, 11 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for terrify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrify
Verb
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But the future Hall of Famer is coming off ACL surgery, might lack mobility, and has a receiving corps that frightens nobody.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
15 May 2026
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This war has been a disaster for them, frightening away foreign investors, tourists and talent and burdening them with a future of huge new defense bills to deter Iran after the United States is gone.—
Thomas L. Friedman,
Mercury News,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Don’t let the Frito pie flavor scare you away — Salt & Straw ice cream is known for its richness, packed with as much butter-fat content as possible — similar to Melt.—
Ella Gonzales
May 15,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 May 2026
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Over-regulating could scare more insurers away; under-regulating could inflate prices even more.—
Mercury News & East Bay Times Editorial Boards,
Mercury News,
15 May 2026
Verb
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On one occasion, a suckerfish was captured disappearing into a manta ray's backside after a diver swimming nearby appeared to startle it.—
Desiree Anello,
PEOPLE,
12 May 2026
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Avoid sudden movements or noises, which can startle animals.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Terrify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrify. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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