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terrify

[ ter-uh-fahy ]
/ ˈtɛr əˌfaɪ /
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See synonyms for: terrify / terrified / terrifying on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), ter·ri·fied, ter·ri·fy·ing.
to fill with terror or alarm; make greatly afraid.
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Origin of terrify

1565–75; <Latin terrificāre, equivalent to terr(ēre) to frighten + -ificāre-ify

synonym study for terrify

See frighten.

OTHER WORDS FROM terrify

ter·ri·fi·er, nounter·ri·fy·ing·ly, adverbun·ter·ri·fied, adjectiveun·ter·ri·fy·ing, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use terrify in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for terrify

terrify
/ (ˈtɛrɪˌfaɪ) /

verb -fies, -fying or -fied
(tr) to inspire fear or dread in; frighten greatly

Derived forms of terrify

terrifier, noun

Word Origin for terrify

C16: from Latin terrificāre, from terrēre to alarm + facere to cause
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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