terror

noun

ˈter-ər How to pronounce terror (audio)
Definition of terrornext
1
as in demon
a source of persistent emotional distress after the death of her father, fear of developing cancer became one of the terrors of her life

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in fear
the emotion experienced in the presence or threat of danger the reports of a serial killer on the loose struck terror into our hearts

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word terror distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of terror are alarm, dread, fear, fright, panic, and trepidation. While all these words mean "painful agitation in the presence or anticipation of danger," terror implies the most extreme degree of fear.

immobilized with terror

When is it sensible to use alarm instead of terror?

The words alarm and terror are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, alarm suggests a sudden and intense awareness of immediate danger.

view the situation with alarm

When might dread be a better fit than terror?

While in some cases nearly identical to terror, dread usually adds the idea of intense reluctance to face or meet a person or situation and suggests aversion as well as anxiety.

faced the meeting with dread

When can fear be used instead of terror?

The words fear and terror can be used in similar contexts, but fear is the most general term and implies anxiety and usually loss of courage.

fear of the unknown

In what contexts can fright take the place of terror?

While the synonyms fright and terror are close in meaning, fright implies the shock of sudden, startling fear.

fright at being awakened suddenly

Where would panic be a reasonable alternative to terror?

The synonyms panic and terror are sometimes interchangeable, but panic implies unreasoning and overmastering fear causing hysterical activity.

the news caused widespread panic

How do trepidation and dread relate to one another, in the sense of terror?

Trepidation adds to dread the implications of timidity, trembling, and hesitation.

raised the subject with trepidation

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 terror The Anti-Defamation League has documented a dramatic rise in acts of hate targeting Jewish people in the U.S. since the Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack in Israel. —Luke Barr, ABC News, 6 June 2025 President Donald Trump has reinstated and expanded a travel ban targeting citizens from 12 countries, citing national security concerns following a recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado. —Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 June 2025 The group that he is accused of attacking was demonstrating to call for the release of Israeli hostages from the Palestinian terror group Hamas. —Dan Mangan, CNBC, 4 June 2025 Just 12 hours after entering a pitch-black, 400-square-foot cabin dug into the hillside in southern Oregon, crypto founder Charles Hoskinson fled in terror. —Mattha Busby, Wired News, 4 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for terror
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terror
  1. demon
  2. fear
  3. torment
  4. anxiety
  5. panic
  6. dread
Noun
  • The trailer certainly paints a trippy picture of a high-tech near-future that veers into nightmare territory, as so many games in the Black Ops franchise tend to do, slipping between missions in the real-world and a psychedelic dream-world filled with demons and other nightmares.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025
  • Months before, Stevens feared President Johnson was pursuing a Reconstruction program that would readmit Confederate states to the Union without them exorcising the demon that animated secession.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 June 2025
Definition of demon
Noun
  • Staffers were losing access to the agency’s internal payment system, and officials in the Congo were reluctant to authorize an expenditure, for fear that they would be accused of circumventing the executive order.
    — Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 16 June 2025
  • As the threat of more strikes continues to fuel fears in Israel, the residents of Tamra are left feeling anxious.
    — Zeena Saifi, CNN Money, 16 June 2025
Definition of fear
Noun
  • This need is the source of her personal torment and also her power.
    — Kerry Howley, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2025
  • The real torments have been so glazed over, many poems resemble old paintings lost beneath a dozen layers of varnish.
    — William Logan, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
Definition of torment
Noun
  • When an industry accelerates this fast, anxiety is sure to follow and a growing number of CEOs aren’t asking whether to build with AI.
    — Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • Survey respondents’ anxiety over unemployment also declined, but a separate measure of employment trends from the Conference Board dipped slightly, reflecting lingering economic uncertainty.
    — Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 10 June 2025
Definition of anxiety
Noun
  • He’s been with the UK dating show ever since the beginning, and when word spread that Iain Stirling was leaving Love Island UK, many fans went into panic.
    — Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 9 June 2025
  • Not knowing the new rules, there always is definitely a total panic and paranoia all the time.
    — Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2025
Definition of panic
Noun
  • Looming over his studies and extracurriculars is a singular dread.
    — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 8 June 2025
  • Kids might be excited about the end of the school year and for summer to begin, but many working parents who don’t know how to fill their kids’ long summer days may be feeling some dread right about now.
    — Medora Lee, USA Today, 8 June 2025
Definition of dread

Browse Nearby Words

territory
terror
terrorism
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Cite this Entry

“Terror.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terror. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.

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