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.
“I’m so proud of that movie — it brings up such terrific memories and it changed my life,” said Davis about “Thelma & Louise,” which was referenced in Sabrina Carpenter’s Coachella set.
From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026
“Everybody wants that job. Marty is a terrific guy and he’s going to go on and lead a good life. He was having some difficulty,” Trump said.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026
"Tourists come to England and they can go to Abbey Road, but they can't go inside... so I thought this was a terrific idea," McCartney told the BBC.
From Barron's • May 11, 2026
For those who are risk averse, Dywer says she often recommends a balanced portfolio of 50% stocks and 50% bonds, which has historically produced a terrific trade-off between long-term returns and shorter-term volatility.
From MarketWatch • May 8, 2026
That was all you could say that was good about Arabella: terrific air—you could see for miles.
From "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman
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.
