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View synonyms for

terror

[ ter-er ]

noun

  1. intense, sharp, overmastering fear:

    to be frantic with terror.

    Synonyms: , ,

    Antonyms:

  2. an instance or cause of intense fear or anxiety; quality of causing terror:

    to be a terror to evildoers.

  3. any period of frightful violence or bloodshed likened to the Reign of Terror in France.
  4. violence or threats of violence used for intimidation or coercion; terrorism.
  5. Informal. a person or thing that is especially annoying or unpleasant.


terror

/ ˈɛə /

noun

  1. great fear, panic, or dread
  2. a person or thing that inspires great dread
  3. informal.
    a troublesome person or thing, esp a child
  4. terrorism
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈٱǰڳܱ, adjective
  • ˈٱǰ, adjective
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Other Word Forms

  • ٱ۴ǰ·ڳܱ adjective
  • ٱ۴ǰ· adjective
  • dzܲt·ٱrǰ noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of terror1

First recorded in 1325–75; from Latin, equivalent to ٱŧ “to frighten” + -or -or 1; replacing Middle English terrour, from Anglo-French, from Latin, as above
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Word History and Origins

Origin of terror1

C14: from Old French terreur, from Latin terror, from ٱŧ to frighten; related to Greek trein to run away in terror
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Idioms and Phrases

see holy terror .
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Synonym Study

Terror, horror, panic, fright all imply extreme fear in the presence of danger or evil. Terror implies an intense fear that is somewhat prolonged and may refer to imagined or future dangers: frozen with terror. Horror implies a sense of shock at a danger that is also evil, and the danger may be to others rather than to oneself: to recoil in horror. Panic and fright both imply a sudden shock of fear. Fright is usually of short duration: a spasm of fright. Panic is uncontrolled and unreasoning fear, often groundless, that may be prolonged: The mob was in a panic.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

It also said Israel was not obliged to allow in aid because Hamas had "hijacked" supplies "to rebuild its terror machine".

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It also said that Israel was not obliged to allow in aid because Hamas had "hijacked" supplies "to rebuild its terror machine".

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It said India would be "unrelenting in the pursuit of those who have committed acts of terror, or conspired to make them possible".

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Describing the incident as a "cowardly terror attack on tourists", Sinha wrote on X: "I assure the people that those behind this despicable attack will not go unpunished."

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A good portion of people are currently zigzagging between terror that their life savings is disappearing before their eyes, and terror that their constitutional rights are in the same trash bin.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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terroirterrorism