to terrify
148
3.2
- verb
- /ˈtɛrəˌfaɪ/
:
aterrorizar
- Nothing will disconcert and terrify the Indians more than this.
- terrify people
- be terrified of death
- terrify the young
In these moments, the narcissist is reminded of the one thing that terrifies them the most, their ordinariness.
- In these moments, the narcissist is reminded of the one thing that terrifies them the most, their ordinariness.
- So we were trying to like then, then then make something specific that would have terrified him as a young man.
- Like what kind of society requires that everybody participate in something that terrifies them?
- I think about how much it terrifies me.
- Yes, I broke your window and yes, I terrified your family, but you got a free brick.
- Venom made me think of Alpha but then terrify you.
- And and I, the side of me came out of me that terrified me.
Examples
-
The poor messenger was terrified and begged Papa to let the matter drop.
Fiction book (1990) -
Tarissa drops to her knees, terrified as she looks into the muzzle of the gun.
Fiction book (1991) -
And doing so, you can then terrify an entire community.
-
The girls are terrified, Logan.
-
A student said she is "terrified" by what might happen once Donald Trump becomes president.
Academic text (2016) -
A part of her was terrified to go any farther, but she had no choice.
Fiction book (1992) -
That should terrify every God fearing man, woman, child and person of any identity.
-
It was obviously intended to terrify everybody who might want to resist him.
-
The local police refused to intervene to protect the terrified women students.
Academic text (1995) -
The loud thunderstorm terrifies young children who are afraid of loud noises.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
To make someone feel afraid or unsure of themselves
540
1.0
To make someone feel afraid
294
4.9
To frighten someone so they do what you want
145
6.7
To frighten someone very much by using threats or violence
90
4.3
Make someone feel very shocked, afraid, or disgusted
59
3.7
To frighten someone very much
56
6.7
To make someone very afraid
7
4.8
To make someone so frightened that they cannot move or think
5
8.8
To make someone very afraid
5
9.0
To frighten someone very much by a sudden event or loud noise
3
8.2
To frighten someone very much
3
8.2
Make people very afraid and make them respect you by showing power
3
6.9
To frighten someone very much
3
5.6
To make someone very afraid
2
3.2
To make someone feel afraid
Cause a strong feeling of fear or disgust with a creepy physical feeling
Antonyms
How Scary
Surface Forms
Morphology
terrify = terror (semi-transparent) = terr + ify
The word is clearly built on 'terror' plus the verbal suffix '-ify', but the exact causative sense is slightly less direct than a fully compositional everyday word.
Etymology
The word terrify comes from the Latin verb terrere, which means 'to frighten', and the same root shows up in terror and terrible. So, to terrify someone is like 'filling' them with fear, which is why it means to make someone very frightened.