TERRIFIES Synonyms: 60 Similar and Opposite Words

terrifies

verb

present tense third-person singular of terrify

as in frightens

to strike with fear the prospect of speaking in front of a huge crowd of people absolutely terrifies me

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of terrifies What terrifies you about this moment and inspires you about this moment? — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026 That prospect terrifies Hamid, the relief worker who survived the drone strike. — Mat Nashed, Christian Science Monitor, 21 July 2026 Frankly, the thought of being beaten by the subscribers terrifies me. — Oliver Kay, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026 Aubry Bracco is the kind of player who terrifies a certain (male) demographic of Survivor alumni. — Joe Reid, Vulture, 25 Feb. 2026 What terrifies Iran’s theocrats the most, the fear that eclipses all their fears, is the ability of the people at large to clearly see the essential realities of the present regime. — Azadeh Moaveni, Time, 3 Feb. 2026 And this absolutely terrifies me. — Inga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026 That terrifies me to try to adapt something. — Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 17 Nov. 2025 When scientists are asked which potential climate impact terrifies them most, the collapse of the AMOC is often top of the list. — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 15 Nov. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrifies

Verb

And for members who have a long history, who are used to running on that long history, that frightens them.

— ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
Diego Gomez is a stop-gap alternative, but Mitoma remains a key figure who frightens opposing defences with his dribbling speed and influential record in the top flight.

— Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of frightens

Verb

Missile warning startles Dubai Earlier on Friday, a missile warning in the United Arab Emirates caused by a technical glitch underscored the ongoing tensions in the region, following the attack on the cargo vessel and Israeli strikes in Lebanon over the past few days.

— Collin Binkley, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026
The combination of flashing light and movement startles them.

— Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 11 June 2026

Definition of startles

Browse Nearby Words

terrified

terrifies

terrify

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Terrifies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrifies. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of terrifies

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on terrifies

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

prowess

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes