terrorize
Americanverb (used with object)
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to fill or overcome with terror.
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to dominate or coerce by intimidation.
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to produce widespread fear by acts of violence, as bombings.
verb
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to coerce or control by violence, fear, threats, etc
-
to inspire with dread; terrify
Related Words
See frighten.
Other Word Forms
- terrorization noun
- terrorizer noun
- unterrorized adjective
Etymology
Origin of terrorize
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.
They initially told him they were deporting him to his home country, which he thinks was done "to terrorize us."
From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026
“They should not be anonymous. They should be identifiable. And they have to have rules of engagement that don’t allow them to terrorize and intimidate, harass and assault U.S. citizens and other people,” he said.
From Salon • Feb. 2, 2026
“This is part of the effort to terrorize those who were not born in the United States and instill fear in immigrant communities and mixed-status families,” Mukherjee said.
From Slate • Jul. 4, 2025
“Our goal is to make sure this defendant is held accountable and will never hurt or terrorize anyone ever again.”
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 30, 2024
Doc told us that boo-hags would remove their skin when they went out to terrorize people.
From "Root Magic" by Eden Royce
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.
