terrify
Americanverb (used with object)
-
terrifies,
present (3rd person singular)
-
terrified,
past participle, past
-
terrifying
present participle
verb
Synonym Usage
See frighten.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
terrifysimple
-
terrifiessimple
-
have terrifiedperfect
-
has terrifiedperfect
-
am terrifyingprogressive
-
are terrifyingprogressive
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is terrifyingprogressive
-
have been terrifyingperfect progressive
-
has been terrifyingperfect progressive
Past
-
terrifiedsimple
-
had terrifiedperfect
-
was terrifyingprogressive
-
were terrifyingprogressive
-
had been terrifyingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of terrify
1565–75; < Latin terrificāre, equivalent to terr ( ēre ) to frighten + -ificāre -ify
Explanation
If you terrify someone, that person is enormously frightened of you. The verb terrify is closely related to the word terror, and its Latin root is terrificus, "causing terror." While some people might say that monsters terrify them, others are terrified by heights, snakes, or speaking in public. If there's something that makes you feel a deep, horrible sense of fear, it terrifies you.
Vocabulary lists containing terrify
"The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry
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"In the Spotlight," Vocabulary from the informational text
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The House of Hades
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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.
See Examples For:
The backrooms seem to exist in part to terrify entrants into redirecting their energies toward better life choices.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026
"Either to terrify the residents and force them to move," he said, "or to put pressure on the Lebanese army to confront people."
From BBC ● Nov. 27, 2025
It seems to me that the math behind the analysis was designed to terrify, not inform.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 30, 2025
“I’ve come to view Jesus the way I’ve come to view Elvis. I love the guy, but some of the fan clubs terrify me.”
From Salon ● Sep. 19, 2025
That expression of his used to terrify me into stammers.
From "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan
The Sublime, Edmund Burke wrote in 1757, terrifies in darkness, but when its effects are managed and ordered, we call them beauty.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 14, 2026
“You’re walking into a very, very conflictual relationship with the U.S.—and that terrifies me. But I’m not sure if there’s any way around it. Aren’t we actually already there?”
From Slate ● Feb. 13, 2026
It helps to build a more rounded profile of Hitler, a person who still fascinates and terrifies in equal measure.
From BBC ● Nov. 14, 2025
As Sailor settles into her new job on Alcatraz, she begins to shake things up, which both thrills and terrifies Camille, who has always kept her head down and followed the rules.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2025
The thought of being in this place, alone and clueless as to where they should go, in complete darkness, terrifies him.
From "The Kill Order (Maze Runner, Book Four; Origin)" by James Dashner
They’re also terrified of what that success could mean.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 31, 2026
He looks terrified on the sideline of every game, calling atrocious plays, and thinking the only way to win is for Matt Stafford to pass for 700-plus yards.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2026
A patient arrived at a Denver emergency room one night terrified that he was having a heart attack.
From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2026
"Our hearts are with the terrified children and the families anxiously waiting to hear that their loved ones are safe," GIFFORDS, a gun safety organization, said on X.
From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026
Autumn looks terrified, but she gives a slow nod.
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
He added: "We might go again next season... it's quite a terrifying prospect if we're not... on the ball."
From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026
And in rare instances, what we see can be inexplicable—or downright terrifying.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 31, 2026
He described the experience as “daunting, terrifying, humbling, nerve-racking” and admitted to feeling undeserving.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 21, 2026
Those early months of 2025 were undeniably terrifying and inordinately destructive, but they were also ridiculous.
From Salon ● Oct. 19, 2026
That this particular Ominous Landscape featured the terrifying figure of a wolf, yellow eyed and with fangs that dripped blood, was one more disturbing mystery to add to the pile.
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
