as in frightening
causing fear
heard a terrifying noise coming from the next room
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Recent Examples of terrifying
Emma Allen, New Yorker, 5 July 2025
Interested in something visceral and terrifying but with fewer sharks?
—Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 4 July 2025
For some of the people reading this, this nation’s future has never been more terrifying.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 July 2025
The terrifying moment that passengers were made to put on oxygen masks was captured on video.
—Latoya Gayle, People.com, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for terrifying
Adjective
Fifty years ago, a glitchy yet terrifying animatronic shark persuaded movie audiences never to go in the water again.
—Emma Allen, New Yorker, 5 July 2025
Interested in something visceral and terrifying but with fewer sharks?
—Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 4 July 2025
For some of the people reading this, this nation’s future has never been more terrifying.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 July 2025
The terrifying moment that passengers were made to put on oxygen masks was captured on video.
—Latoya Gayle, People.com, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for terrifying
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrifying
Adjective
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The great outdoors can be a big and frightening place, especially for cats who have only seen it from the safety of the great indoors.—
Joan Morris,
Mercury News,
7 July 2025
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Moreover, if their environment is unpredictable, frightening, or volatile, some children learn that any disagreement could lead to danger and try to bury their feelings to avoid conflict and maintain a sense of peace.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Parents,
7 July 2025
Adjective
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The filmmakers used the sounds of babies crying to make a scary noise In the film, the bad people go to a bad afterlife, and they’re taken there by creepy, inky shadow things.—
Drew Mackie,
People.com,
13 July 2025
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He’s got that leading-man energy that, for that part, was just super-fun, this very scary, almost James Bond villain, or Mission: Impossible.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
12 July 2025
Adjective
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In short, because the Ukrainians have put up a formidable defense.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
9 July 2025
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Given the progress North Korea has made since 2019, however, Pyongyang would still retain a nuclear arsenal formidable enough to make any foreign attack unthinkable.—
ANDREI LANKOV,
Foreign Affairs,
8 July 2025
Adjective
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Maybe the news reports and images trigger your feelings around a horrible experience at a camp, a personal loss of a child, or even just a loss of feeling safe and in control of the world, said Hurlbert.—
Madeline Holcombe,
CNN Money,
11 July 2025
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Getting your car stolen is a horrible experience, but there are ways to deter theft and steps to follow if your vehicle is stolen.—
Charles Singh,
AZCentral.com,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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Vegas bounced back from a terrible loss to the Fever with an 86-68 win over the Sun on Sunday.—
Kilty Cleary,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 July 2025
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And because of that, it’s shielded us from the terrible things that happen downstream in the supply chain.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
8 July 2025
Adjective
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While the ingredients were simmering, Innis shared that the key to making dinner less overwhelming and intimidating for working people is having your ingredients and materials prepared ahead of time.—
Dominique Fluker,
Essence,
6 July 2025
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By limiting the commitment to just five minutes, the task feels more manageable and less intimidating.—
Dr. Faye Begeti,
CNBC,
23 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Terrifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrifying. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
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