as in to frighten
to strike with fear
thunderstorms terrorize our cats, who all scamper downstairs when lightning flashes
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Recent Examples of terrorize
They are believed to scare away the mythical monster Nian, who would terrorize villages at the start of the new year.
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Brandi D. Addison, Cincinnati Enquirer, 31 Dec. 2025
From horrifying films about a snowman's murderous rampage and folkloric Christmas demons who terrorize not-so-nice families to comedies with a bit of edge and raunchy humor, these titles would certainly make Santa's naughty list.
—Lydia Price, PEOPLE, 23 Dec. 2025
Jenna’s sister Kristil Krug was stalked, terrorized and murdered by Kristil’s husband, who masqueraded as an ex-boyfriend.
—Josh Mankiewicz, NBC news, 22 Dec. 2025
Grinch was a name given to him by Whoville, a town that terrorized him.
—Andy Hoglund, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for terrorize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrorize
Verb
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The Secretary of State called the event an attempt to frighten public servants.—
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But monks there complained that the slain king was walking around at night, frightening them with strange sounds.—
Verb
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Just don’t understand the attraction of settling down with a book and scaring yourself half to death.—
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What's more, this door alarm features three sensitivity levels and emits a loud, shrill sound that will instantly scare an intruder away.—
Verb
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Arnoldo is still waiting for Houston authorities to help him, still terrified that a masked agent will come first.—
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Their mother, Dorothy (Susannah Flood), an alcoholic, is passive, withdrawn, and terrified of Mike.—
Verb
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Mission Viejo Animal Services responded to a call Friday morning from a Rancho Santa Margarita resident who reported that strong winds had startled the 16-month-old dog, Lana, prompting her to flee into a canyon area between Dove Canyon and Coto de Caza.—
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Authorities in southern Colorado are investigating after a sudden explosion damaged a building and startled nearby residents.—
Cite this Entry
“Terrorize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrorize. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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