terror

[ter-er]

noun

1. intense, sharp, overmastering fear.

   to be frantic with terror.

   Synonyms: consternation, dismay, alarm
   Antonyms: calm

2. an instance or cause of intense fear or anxiety; quality of causing terror.

   to be a terror to evildoers.

3. any period of frightful violence or bloodshed likened to the Reign of Terror in France.

4. violence or threats of violence used for intimidation or coercion; terrorism.

5. Informal.,  a person or thing that is especially annoying or unpleasant.

terror

/ ˈtɛrə /

noun

1. great fear, panic, or dread

2. a person or thing that inspires great dread

3. informal,  a troublesome person or thing, esp a child

4. terrorism

Other Word Forms

• terrorful adjective
• terrorless adjective
• counterterror noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of terror¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of terror¹

C14: from Old French terreur, from Latin terror, from terrēre to frighten; related to Greek trein to run away in terror

Idioms and Phrases

see holy terror.

Synonym Study

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.

Example Sentences

“They use terror and human-rights abuses as their principal tools of governance,” said Hudson, now with the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Through a small hatch in a cell door, we get a glimpse of men who once brought terror to around a third of Syria and Iraq.

Read more on BBC

The same country that offered sanctuary to Jews fleeing czarist pogroms and Nazi terror now tolerates open Jew-hatred in its streets.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But for those marked as enemies, their quotidian existence is one of anxiety, fear and terror.

Read more on Salon

The US sanctions list is usually reserved for drug kingpins, terror operatives and dictators involved in widespread human rights abuses.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• anxiety 
• awe 
• dread 
• horror 
• intimidation 
• panic 
• shock