terror
Americannoun
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intense, sharp, overmastering fear.
to be frantic with terror.
- Synonyms:
- consternation, dismay, alarm
- Antonyms:
- calm
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an instance or cause of intense fear or anxiety; quality of causing terror.
to be a terror to evildoers.
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any period of frightful violence or bloodshed likened to the Reign of Terror in France.
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violence or threats of violence used for intimidation or coercion; terrorism.
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Informal. a person or thing that is especially annoying or unpleasant.
noun
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great fear, panic, or dread
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a person or thing that inspires great dread
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informal a troublesome person or thing, esp a child
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terrorism
Related Words
Terror, horror, panic, fright all imply extreme fear in the presence of danger or evil. Terror implies an intense fear that is somewhat prolonged and may refer to imagined or future dangers: frozen with terror. Horror implies a sense of shock at a danger that is also evil, and the danger may be to others rather than to oneself: to recoil in horror. Panic and fright both imply a sudden shock of fear. Fright is usually of short duration: a spasm of fright. Panic is uncontrolled and unreasoning fear, often groundless, that may be prolonged: The mob was in a panic.
Other Word Forms
- counterterror noun
- terrorful adjective
- terrorless adjective
Etymology
Origin of terror
First recorded in 1325–75; from Latin, equivalent to terrēre “to frighten” + -or -or 1; replacing Middle English terrour, from Anglo-French, from Latin, as above
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.
He has been astonished by the terror that has gripped the region.
From Barron's
Then there was only water, roaring past her, and a great jag of terror.
From Literature
In a message shared on social media, the singer-songwriter said his song is in response to "the state terror being visited on the city".
From BBC
The U.S. has begun transferring thousands of detainees from prisons scattered across northeast Syria, which have been guarded by the SDF since the defeat of the terror group’s caliphate in 2019, to Iraq.
Douglas doesn’t understand why his children are partial to their mother, his ex-wife, who was the source of so much instability and terror.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
