terrify

[ ter-uh-fahy ]

verb (used with object)

, ter·ri·fied, ter·ri·fy·ing.

1. to fill with terror or alarm; make greatly afraid.

terrify

/ ˈtɛrɪˌfaɪ /

verb

1. tr to inspire fear or dread in; frighten greatly

Derived Forms

• ˈterriˌfier, noun

Other Words From

• terri·fier noun
• terri·fying·ly adverb
• un·terri·fied adjective
• un·terri·fying adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of terrify¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of terrify¹

C16: from Latin terrificāre, from terrēre to alarm + facere to cause

Synonym Study

See frighten.

Example Sentences

“We were all absolutely terrified at this point. We were so lost and scared about how we could support her knowing what she had done”, Faye said.

From BBC

Except it wasn’t a terrifying beast — it was a person in a bear costume using a kitchen tool designed to shred meat, authorities said.

From Los Angeles Times

What that said to me is how terrifying it must be to feel this perpetual sense of unease and have no idea why.

From Los Angeles Times

As we had just witnessed for an hour and a half, the women were in cages because they had been systematically entrapped, terrified, threatened and attacked.

From Los Angeles Times

"I'm not scared to die but I am scared of a bad death – a long, drawn-out, brutal, horrific death. That terrifies me."

From BBC

Related Words

• alarm
• awe
• dismay
• frighten
• horrify
• intimidate
• petrify
• shock
• startle
• stun
• terrorize