night terror

noun

: a sudden awakening in dazed terror that occurs in children during slow-wave sleep, is often preceded by a sudden shrill cry uttered in sleep, and is not remembered when the child awakes
usually used in plural

Examples of night terror in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The creepiest part may have been when their 8-year-old daughter started experiencing sudden night terrors and bouts of sleepwalking. Natalia Senanayake, People.com, 18 Oct. 2024 Rainy’s night terrors returned, with recurring dreams of her adoptive father dying. Hannah Bassett, ProPublica, 10 Sep. 2024 Unfortunately, for those of us experiencing night terrors, undisturbed sleep is hardly ever achieved. Donna Sarkar, Discover Magazine, 14 Aug. 2024 Medications can also be the culprit for your pet’s night terrors. Donna Sarkar, Discover Magazine, 14 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for night terror 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'night terror.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1889, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of night terror was in 1889

Dictionary Entries Near night terror

Cite this Entry

“Night terror.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/night%20terror. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

night terror

noun
night ter·​ror -ˈter-ər How to pronounce night terror (audio)
: a sudden awakening in dazed terror that occurs in children during slow-wave sleep, is often preceded by a sudden shrill cry uttered in sleep, and is not remembered when the child awakes
usually used in plural

called also pavor nocturnus

More from Merriam-Webster on night terror

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!