put the fear of God into

Idioms  

1. Terrify someone, as in The school counselor put the fear of God into the girls when she talked about AIDS. This phrase alludes to a time when most people had a mingled feeling of dread and reverence toward the deity. [Late 1800s]

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Example Sentences

"It put the fear of God into me," Moore said, laughing.

From BBC • Mar. 1, 2025

Unlike their predecessor the New England Primer, which was designed to put the fear of God into children, the Readers were designed to be appealing to children, and incorporated helpful, clear illustrations.

From Slate • Aug. 17, 2020

“He knew all the arguments. He had the clout. He was the big gun. He put the fear of God into people.”

From Washington Post • Oct. 14, 2017

He was a righteously furious Middle Eastern Jew, who’d been born while his mother was migrating and grew up to put the fear of God into capitalists, putting them on the run with a whip.

From The Guardian • Feb. 20, 2017

I read about the slave preacher Nat Turner, who put the fear of God into the white slavemaster.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey