terrify
verb (used with object)
to fill with terror or alarm; make greatly afraid.
had terrified
-
past perfectof terrify.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
A 31-year-old housewife and mother-of-one who lives nearby said the incident had terrified the neighbourhood.
From Barron's ● Jun. 9, 2026
He told the call handler what had happened that morning, saying his son had "terrified" him and his wife.
From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2022
As Adam Horowitz, a lawyer for seven of the victims, told the New York Times on Wednesday, the young women were indeed scared to testify—because the prosecutors themselves had terrified them.
From Slate ● Jul. 11, 2019
Members of the anti-vaccine movement said the public backlash had terrified many parents.
From New York Times ● Jan. 30, 2015
There’d been a fire drill, and the alarm had terrified Pax.
From "Pax" by Sara Pennypacker
