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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Recent Examples of terrify
But what has terrified Rob Free, the president of the LIRR, the busiest railroad in the country, carrying 75 million passengers a year and running 461 daily trains to Penn, is that operating on just three tubes is a terribly risky prospect.
—
New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 22 May 2025
Unfortunately for her, she was terrified of the challenge ahead: Simmotion, a Survivor classic that originated during the Tocantins season.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 21 May 2025
The calls coming in terrify him and the other county leaders.
—Jennifer Berry Hawes, ProPublica, 19 May 2025
Also, the makers of anesthesia products might become more profitable because more and more children, so often terrified of dentists and their drills, will need to be sedated before cavities can be filled, now that their teeth won’t have automatic fluoridation protection.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for terrify
New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 22 May 2025
Unfortunately for her, she was terrified of the challenge ahead: Simmotion, a Survivor classic that originated during the Tocantins season.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 21 May 2025
The calls coming in terrify him and the other county leaders.
—Jennifer Berry Hawes, ProPublica, 19 May 2025
Also, the makers of anesthesia products might become more profitable because more and more children, so often terrified of dentists and their drills, will need to be sedated before cavities can be filled, now that their teeth won’t have automatic fluoridation protection.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for terrify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrify
Verb
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On May 18, Palmer and the cast attended the Shadyside High Senior Prom ’88 experience as guests explored versions of the gymnasium, lockers, girls’ bathroom and more locations designed to frighten fans.—
Ryan Gajewski,
HollywoodReporter,
23 May 2025
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What to know The Astra channel said that Tokarev, head of the military medical commission of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Sevastopol, got frightened during an air raid alarm overnight on May 1 sparked by a Ukrainian drone barrage.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 May 2025
Verb
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Commissioners debate impact fees Several commissioners expressed concerns that a sharp hike in impact fees could scare away businesses from building in Manatee County, from day care centers to manufacturing.—
Ryan Ballogg,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2025
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Apparently, the card's $5 million price tag is not scaring off the jet-setters looking to make the U.S. home.—
Tovia Smith,
NPR,
2 June 2025
Verb
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The device startles seals hanging around salmon run obstacles and drives them away from the buffet.—
Cheryl Katz,
Smithsonian Magazine,
19 May 2025
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The trailer opens with Kate (Moore) startled by the sudden appearance of her troubled daughter Claire (Sweeney) on her doorstep covered in rain and blood.—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
7 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Terrify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrify. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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