terrifying

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ter·ri·fy

(tĕr′ə-fī′)

tr.v. ter·ri·fied, ter·ri·fy·ing, ter·ri·fies

1. To fill with terror; make deeply afraid: "She was terrified that he would lie to her" (Jodi Picoult). See Synonyms at frighten.

2. To drive or force by arousing fear: "The few who survived had long ago been terrified into complete intellectual surrender" (George Orwell).

[Latin terrificāre, from terrificus, terrific; see terrific.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

terrifying

(ˈtɛrɪˌfaɪɪŋ)

adj

causing great fear or dread; extremely frightening

ˈterriˌfyingly adv

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Adj.

terrifying - causing extreme terror; "a terrifying wail"

terrific

alarming - frightening because of an awareness of danger

terrifying

adjective frightening, scary (informal), alarming, appalling, dreadful, menacing, intimidating, fearful, daunting, fearsome, unnerving, hair-raising, baleful one of the most terrifying diseases known to man

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

مُرْعِب، مُخيف

děsivý

erschreckend

aterrador espantoso

terrifiant

rémítő

skelfilegur

strašen

terrifying

[ˈterɪfaɪɪŋ] ADJ [experience, sound, sight] → espantoso, aterrador; [person] → aterrador
it was terrifying! → ¡fue espantoso or aterrador!
what a terrifying thought! → ¡qué idea más aterradora!, ¡qué espanto!
I still find it terrifying to walk along that street → todavía me da muchísimo miedo caminar por esa calle

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

terrifying

[ˈtɛrɪfaɪɪŋ] adj (= frightening) → terrifiant(e)

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

terrifying

adj film, story → grauenerregend; thought, sight → entsetzlich; speed → Angst erregend, furchterregend

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

terrifying

[ˈtɛrɪˌfaɪɪŋ] adj → terrificante

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

terrify

(ˈterifai) verb

to make very frightened. She was terrified by his appearance.

terrific (təˈrifik) adjective

1. marvellous; wonderful. a terrific party.

2. very great, powerful etc. He gave the ball a terrific kick.

terrifically (təˈrifikəli) adverb

very (much). She enjoyed herself terrifically.

ˈterrified adjective

The terrified little girl screamed.

ˈterrifying adjective

Mentioned in ?

References in classic literature ?

At first he shot much of the game from the cabin windows, but toward the end the animals learned to fear the strange lair from whence issued the terrifying thunder of his rifle.

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He realized more keen enjoyment through annoying and terrifying them than from any other source of amusement the grim jungle offered.

View in context

They were slow, hesitant, uncertain, as of something that did not see its way; to my disordered reason all the more terrifying for that, as the approach of some blind and mindless malevolence to which is no appeal.

View in context

Was all this a some sort of terrifying arrangement invented by the police for his especial benefit?

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to admit to and has remorse for has done Karl Perry Det Con Karl Perry, of GMP's Rochdale division said the victim has been left with lasting mental scars from the terrifying event.

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Berlin -- A German government spokesman said Monday that the street violence that rocked central Paris during weekend "yellow vest" protests was "terrifying".

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One viewer wrote: "I hate Bird Box because it made me feel like I was actually in the movie and it was TERRIFYING."

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The seafarer - notorious for terrifying victims by hanging lighted fuses from his hat and beard - was actually born Edward Thatch, not Teach, and was fair and "judicious" according to US writer Colin Woodard.

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They'd only been in their new housed at the foot of the for six weeks before the terrifying fire which claimed 72 Sally's matchmaking skills need a little perfecting But while that attempt at match-making might not have worked, Sophie is gobsmacked when lawyer Paula (her mum's former classmate, remember) turns up at the house and makes it clear she's interested in Sophie herself.

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