terrify

[ ter-uh-fahy ]

/ ˈtɛr əˌfaɪ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR terrify ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), ter·ri·fied, ter·ri·fy·ing.

to fill with terror or alarm; make greatly afraid.

Nearby words

Origin of terrify

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

Related formster·ri·fi·er, nounter·ri·fy·ing·ly, adverbun·ter·ri·fied, adjectiveun·ter·ri·fy·ing, adjective

Synonym study

See frighten.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for terrifying

The sex workers I spoke with rightly call it “vile,” “gross,” “terrifying,” and “exploitative.”
To Catch a Sex Worker: A&E’s Awful, Exploitative Ambush Show|Samantha Allen|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Hollywood sure hopes so, because the idea that disgruntled insiders could do this is terrifying to Tinsel Town.
Pyongyang Shuffle: Hollywood In Dead Panic Over Sony Hack|James Poulos|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The music was, as he describes it, “harrowing, beautiful, terrifying.”
Death Metal Angola: Heavy Metal in War-Torn Africa|Nina Strochlic|November 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The ordeal faced by Ms. Kolkiewicz, the Ebola victim, Mr. Williams, and Mr. Mutora is terrifying.
What It’s Like to Wake Up Dead|Dr. Anand Veeravagu, MD, Tej Azad|November 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Ebola, while terrifying from its high mortality rate, cannot take you down anytime.
The Sham, Scaremongering Guide to Ebola|Abby Haglage|November 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The mountain was rising up to meet him at a terrifying pace.
The Flying Reporter|Lewis E. (Lewis Edwin) Theiss
Perhaps he was anxious to place as much distance as possible between his own person and the terrifying beasts of the jungle.
The Banner Boy Scouts on a Tour|George A. Warren
General Bambos heard the terrifying news and climbed tremblingly to his feet.
Up the Forked River|Edward Sylvester Ellis
Then he observed sweats that were terrifying in their frequency—sweats at night that left the print of her body on the sheets.
Woman Triumphant|Vicente Blasco Ibaez
The terrifying power at this first stage was supplied by the bogey-man.
Recollections Of My Childhood And Youth|George Brandes

British Dictionary definitions for terrifying

terrifying

/ (ˈtɛrɪˌfaɪɪŋ) /

adjective

causing great fear or dread; extremely frightening

Derived Formsterrifyingly, adverb

terrify

/ (ˈtɛrɪˌfaɪ) /

verb -fies, -fying or -fied

(tr) to inspire fear or dread in; frighten greatly

Derived Formsterrifier, 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

Word Origin and History for terrifying

terrify

1570s, from Latin terrificare "to frighten," from terrificus "causing terror" (see terrific). Related: Terrified; terrifying.

terrify

verb (used with object), ter·ri·fied, ter·ri·fy·ing.

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Nearby words

Origin of terrify

Synonym study

Examples from the Web for terrifying

terrifying

adjective

terrify

verb -fies, -fying or -fied

Word Origin for terrify

terrify