terror

[ter-er]

noun

1. intense, sharp, overmastering fear.

   to be frantic with terror.

   Synonyms: consternation, dismay, alarm
   Antonyms: calm

2. an instance or cause of intense fear or anxiety; quality of causing terror.

   to be a terror to evildoers.

3. any period of frightful violence or bloodshed likened to the Reign of Terror in France.

4. violence or threats of violence used for intimidation or coercion; terrorism.

5. Informal.,  a person or thing that is especially annoying or unpleasant.

terror

/ ˈtɛrə /

noun

1. great fear, panic, or dread

2. a person or thing that inspires great dread

3. informal,  a troublesome person or thing, esp a child

4. terrorism

Other Word Forms

• terrorful adjective
• terrorless adjective
• counterterror noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of terror¹

First recorded in 1325–75; from Latin, equivalent to terrēre “to frighten” + -or -or ¹; replacing Middle English terrour, from Anglo-French, from Latin, as above

Word History and Origins

Origin of terror¹

C14: from Old French terreur, from Latin terror, from terrēre to frighten; related to Greek trein to run away in terror

Idioms and Phrases

see holy terror.

Synonym Study

Terror, horror, panic, fright all imply extreme fear in the presence of danger or evil. Terror implies an intense fear that is somewhat prolonged and may refer to imagined or future dangers: frozen with terror. Horror implies a sense of shock at a danger that is also evil, and the danger may be to others rather than to oneself: to recoil in horror. Panic and fright both imply a sudden shock of fear. Fright is usually of short duration: a spasm of fright. Panic is uncontrolled and unreasoning fear, often groundless, that may be prolonged: The mob was in a panic.

Example Sentences

We have to make time for the good as much as we do the bad, allow space for our laughter as much as we do our tears and our terrors.

Read more on Salon

He had separately called for such protests to be postponed after the terror attack at a synagogue in Manchester last week, which killed two Jewish people - urging demonstrators to "respect the grief of British Jews".

Read more on BBC

She clutched my arm tightly at every visit, sharing her terror that she would lose her prodigious memory—she was able to recite long passages of Shakespeare—and end, undignified, in a nursing home.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Our episode didn’t capture scenes of us consoling the oldest when his night terrors returned or taking calls from school on shoot days when the youngest begged to come home.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In the face of this fracturing conflict, it is civilians on the ground who face more suffering in this new wave of paramotor terror against soft targets.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• anxiety 
• awe 
• dread 
• horror 
• intimidation 
• panic 
• shock