as in frightened
filled with fear or dread
terrified dogs hiding under the couch
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in scared
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
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Recent Examples of terrified
Max Goldbart, Deadline, 23 Dec. 2024
My Hugo would chase it and bark at it, or he'd be terrified.
—Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024
McDonald plays her as a tragic heroine terrified of abandonment.
—Adam Moss, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2024
Although conditions in Malibu may not be among the worst firefighters have seen, the Franklin fire has torched several vehicles and left residents who had to flee terrified.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 10 Dec. 2024
As the fighting ramped up in September, with daily missile barrages on the entire north, people were terrified of driving, fearing they’d be caught on the roads without shelter.
—Dina Kraft, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Dec. 2024
Several subway riders testified they were terrified Neely was going to attack and they were relieved when Penny put him in a chokehold and kept him there.
—Gloria Pazmino, CNN, 9 Dec. 2024
My Unsung Hero She was terrified waiting for surgery.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 5 Dec. 2024
To put that into context, people are terrified of aging or miserable in their bodies.
—Essence, 5 Dec. 2024
Verb
The movie sees the revival of arch-villain Feathers McGraw, who terrified kids in 1993’s The Wrong Trousers.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 23 Dec. 2024
My Hugo would chase it and bark at it, or he'd be terrified.
—Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024
McDonald plays her as a tragic heroine terrified of abandonment.
—Adam Moss, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2024
Although conditions in Malibu may not be among the worst firefighters have seen, the Franklin fire has torched several vehicles and left residents who had to flee terrified.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 10 Dec. 2024
As the fighting ramped up in September, with daily missile barrages on the entire north, people were terrified of driving, fearing they’d be caught on the roads without shelter.
—Dina Kraft, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Dec. 2024
Several subway riders testified they were terrified Neely was going to attack and they were relieved when Penny put him in a chokehold and kept him there.
—Gloria Pazmino, CNN, 9 Dec. 2024
My Unsung Hero She was terrified waiting for surgery.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 5 Dec. 2024
To put that into context, people are terrified of aging or miserable in their bodies.
—Essence, 5 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrified
Adjective
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And this week, there’s a very nice sequence in which Matty walks a frightened Zoey, step-by-step, through what to expect when she gets arrested.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
27 Feb. 2025
-
Igor tries to subdue Ani, who's frightened and enraged, kicking and screaming at the prospect of being separated from her new husband.—
Mandalit del Barco,
NPR,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Don’t be afraid to geek out: The happiest people don’t play it cool.—
Jessica Weiss, Contributor,
CNBC,
1 Mar. 2025
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In that moment, McConaughey exemplified a leader who isn’t afraid to embrace vulnerability—a trait that can foster trust and authenticity in any leadership role.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes,
1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
And people who are scared are less likely to want to stay here.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Mar. 2025
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For people fresh out of school, my advice as a lawyer is, don’t be scared to seek counsel but above all, don’t be scared to ask for things.—
Joelle Diderich,
WWD,
4 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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When Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead last month in their Santa Fe, New Mexico home, the community was shocked.—
Jay Stahl,
USA TODAY,
7 Mar. 2025
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The comedy community, meanwhile, was shocked, too, because Hoffman is mostly known as a curmudgeon.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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For others, the reaction may range from being confused, to downright alarmed.—
Oyku Ilgar,
Forbes,
25 Feb. 2025
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In addition to league warnings, an alarmed FBI also announced a nationwide crackdown aimed at identifying the perpetrators and bringing them to justice.—
Chelsea Bailey and Josh Campbell,
CNN,
20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Einbinder appeared extremely fearful of addressing anything about being Jewish at this moment.—
Steven Zeitchik,
The Hollywood Reporter,
1 Mar. 2025
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Ratliff is a wealthy Southern business mogul confronted by past shady business dealings and fearful that his secrets will come to light and endanger his family, played by Parker Posey, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Sam Nivola, and Sarah Catherine Hook.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
EW.com,
26 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Terrified.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrified. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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