as in frightening
causing fear
heard a terrifying noise coming from the next room
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in scaring
to strike with fear
the prospect of speaking in front of a huge crowd of people absolutely terrifies me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of terrifying
Kate Wong, Scientific American, 23 Apr. 2026
The terrifying story of how Kim Kardashian was robbed at gunpoint during Paris Fashion Week in 2016 is being made into a Canal+ doc series.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 23 Apr. 2026
Arkansas Online, 2 Mar. 2026
Like the strung-up coyotes, the Ghoul typically looks normal from afar but terrifying up close.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for terrifying
Adjective
Move over, megalodon, there’s a new contender for most terrifying marine predator of all time.
—Kate Wong, Scientific American, 23 Apr. 2026
The terrifying story of how Kim Kardashian was robbed at gunpoint during Paris Fashion Week in 2016 is being made into a Canal+ doc series.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
One 27-year-old Tehran resident said a strike fell a few hundred yards away from her house, terrifying her with the explosion.
—Arkansas Online, 2 Mar. 2026
Like the strung-up coyotes, the Ghoul typically looks normal from afar but terrifying up close.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for terrifying
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrifying
Adjective
-
Her Dispatch from the scene captured the moments of frightening confusion as high-ranking members of the government were whisked away from the Washington Hilton, where the event was held.—
Michael Schulman,
New Yorker,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The ultimate scene packs a punch here — without spoiling things, Abigail Onwunali is particularly powerful in a role that Wilson saves till the eleventh hour, and Boone goes to places at once frightening and devastating.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Plus, nobody will careen past you at 110 mph, scaring you spitless.—
Allen Best,
Denver Post,
24 Apr. 2026
-
This isn’t a film about trauma, or smuggled-in social issues, or anything at all, really, besides the honest workaday business of scaring the bejesus out of its audience, rinsing, and repeating with extra vigor.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Yes, scarier than the strange dialogue in Reminders of Him.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
27 Apr. 2026
-
However, there was a really scary moment in a Game 4 thriller when one player took a skate blade straight to the face.—
Matt Reigle OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Some cyclists sped by pretty quickly, startling us and our dog.—
Maura Fox,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Hauge called that startling, given that court filing fees alone cost just as much.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
4 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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There's also a perception that squishy invertebrates — creatures without backbones — weren't formidable enough to join the ranks of top predators.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Stretching up to 62 feet long, the ancient predator dwarfed modern giant squid and may have rivaled some of the most formidable hunters of the Cretaceous oceans.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Your cab driver is taking you on a horrible route.—
Zach Schiffman,
Curbed,
24 Apr. 2026
-
There’s enough cop shows, stories about how horrible the world is, enough plot lines that are similar to each other.—
Annika Pham,
Variety,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The delay seemed to Silva like one more indignity in a terrible series of events that began with her husband’s death in 2024.—
Ariane Lange,
Sacbee.com,
30 Apr. 2026
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The logic here is peak modern NBA, and the league wants to make being slightly below average more rewarding than being truly terrible.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
If a flip-flop is your go-to, consider these for a less intimidating pick in keeping with your personal style.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Apr. 2026
-
From the scholarly and enlightened to the tough and intimidating, people of all walks of life and cultural backgrounds love a good, thick face of hair.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Terrifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrifying. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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