terrific
Americanadjective
-
extraordinarily great or intense.
terrific speed.
- Synonyms:
- remarkable, extraordinary
-
extremely good; wonderful.
a terrific vacation.
- Synonyms:
- excellent, fine, remarkable, extraordinary
-
causing terror; terrifying.
adjective
-
very great or intense
a terrific noise
-
informal very good; excellent
a terrific singer
-
very frightening
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of terrific
1660–70; < Latin terrificus frightening, equivalent to terr ( ēre ) to frighten + -i- -i- + -ficus -fic
Explanation
Something that's terrific is wonderful, like a terrific concert you'll never forget. Terrific can also describe something very intense, like a terrific thunderstorm. Anything huge or loud or forceful can be described with the adjective terrific. A marathon runner might put in a terrific effort during the last mile of the race, or a band can make a terrific racket when it practices. Terrific can also mean great, like your terrific new hair cut. Terrific's origin is more scary than wonderful: the Latin root is terrificus, causing terror or fear.
Vocabulary lists containing terrific
"Dragon, Dragon"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The explanation is that these traditional, “capitalization”- or “value”-based index stock funds are terrific for the fund industry because they can be scaled very easily.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026
Rowan said in the statement: “Leon has been a terrific partner and leader for over three decades and I am honored to take the reins.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026
Taking your pick of Celtic's three terrific goals is not an easy feat, but that third one is worth some examination.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
While he’s a terrific scene partner with Chandler, he also shares a torrid chemistry with Poorna Jagannathan’s Zoe, one of the very few nonwhite Rushville residents who’s immediately drawn to John.
From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026
President Roosevelt, who had imprisoned her family, had died last year—his final words were supposedly “I have a terrific headache.”
From "A Place to Belong" by Cynthia Kadohata
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
