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
Abel Alvarado, CNN, 13 Feb. 2025
From the first signs of flames to the heartbreaking aftermath, the terrifying reality of the situation shifted.
—Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Feb. 2025
Her parents took her to a school for dental hygienists in training which was arguably much cheaper without insurance and arguably much more terrifying.
—Kelli Acciardo, Allure, 13 Feb. 2025
But these private moments create a backlash in Darren that is terrifying to witness.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for terrifying
Adjective
The terrifying moment, captured on camera by the kayaker’s father, showed the whale surfacing in the Strait of Magellan and gulping Adrian Simancas for a few moments before releasing him.
—Abel Alvarado, CNN, 13 Feb. 2025
From the first signs of flames to the heartbreaking aftermath, the terrifying reality of the situation shifted.
—Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Feb. 2025
Her parents took her to a school for dental hygienists in training which was arguably much cheaper without insurance and arguably much more terrifying.
—Kelli Acciardo, Allure, 13 Feb. 2025
But these private moments create a backlash in Darren that is terrifying to witness.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for terrifying
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrifying
Adjective
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Bates is frightening in her stillness, which makes Annie’s sudden bursts of violence all the more horrifying.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
21 Feb. 2025
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The key, psychologists say, is the emotional weight of those headlines’ content—especially for people who find what’s happening in the U.S. today to be genuinely frightening.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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But like the best scary movies, Horror has a strong ending.—
Brendan Hay,
SPIN,
19 Feb. 2025
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Soto, Judge trade barbs Once, long ago — ahem, last season — Juan Soto and Aaron Judge formed the scariest hitting combination in MLB.—
Chris Branch,
The Athletic,
19 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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JPMorgan said the stock is at an attractive entry point with lower expectations and a formidable path for growth.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
26 Feb. 2025
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Van Dijk and Konate have been a formidable partnership since the latter’s arrival in 2021.—
Andy Jones,
The Athletic,
25 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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There are so many horrible things happening in the world.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
18 Feb. 2025
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Still, a light at the end of this very horrible long tunnel might be a bit more visible at this time.—
Greg Palkot,
Fox News,
15 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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This is, on paper, a terrible idea for all involved.—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
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State of play: Cleveland is terrible at planting trees.—
Sam Allard,
Axios,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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For many, the All Blacks are well-known for performing an intimidating pregame haka dance, a Maori ritual used to fire up the players and fans before a match.—
Robert Channick,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Feb. 2025
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Small breed dogs, such as Cavalier King Charles spaniel and Maltese, are probably the most eligible to cohabitate with cats because of their gentle and affectionate nature and their small size, which is less intimidating to cats.—
Kristan Hawkins,
Newsweek,
7 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Terrifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrifying. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
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